© UNESCO3 March 2026Last update:5 March 2026
16 February 2026, New Delhi | UNESCO and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, launched the India Artificial Intelligence Readiness Assessment Report at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
Developed by UNESCO, in partnership with the IndiaAI Mission, and Ikigai Law as an implementing partner and supported by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, this flagship report examines India’s ethical AI landscape, and explores key initiatives, and preparedness, and provides actionable recommendations to advance ethical, and human-centered AI.
India AI Readiness Assesment ReportUNESCO2026
The India AI Readiness Assessment Report is the outcome of sustained efforts over the past eighteen months. Through five regional consultations across Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Guwahati, more than 600 stakeholders from government, startups, research institutions, academia and civil society contributed to building a grounded, evidence-based picture of India’s AI landscape.
The process combined desk research, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and multi-stakeholder consultations structured around governance, use cases, workforce readiness, and infrastructure and investment.
The launch ceremony was attended by Dr Ajay Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India; Mr S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY; Mr Tim Curtis, Director and Representative, UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia; senior government officials, and leading experts from the fraternity. This was followed by a fireside chat with Dr. Vilas Dhar, CEO, Patrick J McGovern Foundation, moderated by Dr Mariagrazia Squicciarini, Chief of Executive Office, Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO.
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AI is here to make an impact. The question is not how fast we adopt AI, but how thoughtfully we shape it. To advance ethical AI in India, we must embed ethics by design across the AI lifecycle. Public trust in AI depends on a rights-based approach aligned with constitutional principles and international ethical standards.
Dr Ajay Kumar SoodPrincipal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India
AI readiness goes beyond infrastructure. It requires skilling at every level, converting use cases into real-world solutions, and ensuring that institutions are prepared to adopt and deploy AI responsibly. Government alone cannot shape the AI ecosystem and for this, broad stakeholder engagement is essential.
Shri. S. KrishnanSecretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India
UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI establishes a global baseline for trust, accountability and human rights. India’s AI future will be shaped not just by what is built, who it serves, and what safeguards are embed from the start. We should aim for AI that listens before it decides. AI that performs well not only in demos, but in the lived complexity of real communities.
Tim CurtisDirector & Representative, UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia
Key Findings from the India RAM Report
Ms Eunsong Kim, Chief of the Social and Human Sciences Sector at the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia, presented the key findings of the India AI Readiness Assessment Report.
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The report highlights India’s evolving hybrid AI governance framework and its strong global position as one of the fastest-growing AI talent hubs, accounting for 16% of the world’s AI talent. It underscores significant innovation momentum, with over 86,000 AI patents filed since 2010, and notable progress in multilingual AI and digital public service delivery. At the same time, the assessment identifies priority areas for action, including the need for a comprehensive legal gap analysis and more inclusive AI transition planning to prevent widening inequalities, particularly in the informal sector.
Roadmap for Responsible and Inclusive AI
Drawing on this multi-dimensional assessment, the report outlines actionable recommendations, including:
- Ensuring informed AI governance across sectors through comprehensive evidence-based risk and legal review.
- Co-developing guidelines for operationalizing ethical AI principles for AI developers and deployers.
- Strengthening centre–state coordination for AI governance and implementation.
- Leveraging the AIKosh platform to increase access to high-quality datasets for AI development.
- Advancing public trust in AI through governance, procurement and awareness.
- Preparing India’s workforce for an AI future by strengthening capacities, embedding ethics, and supporting inclusive transitions.
- Ensuring integration of environmental sustainability considerations into AI infrastructure planning and deployment.
- Ensuring targeted interventions to promote diversity in the AI workforce and R&D ecosystem.
The report assigns institutional responsibilities to support implementation and guide the Government’s AI policy agenda. It concludes that AI readiness extends beyond technological infrastructure and requires ethical governance, inclusive participation and responsible innovation.
For more information:
Eunsong Kim
Chief of Social and Human Sciences
UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia
Sindhuja Khajuria
Communications and Public Relations Officer
UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia