Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping societies, economies, and ecosystems at scale, offering transformative potential for inclusive growth and sustainable development, especially for developing countries. In our September edition of Vigyan Dhara magazine, Mr. Amit A. Shukla, Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs, elaborates on the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026, hosted by India. He delves into THE MANTRA of the impact, which this summit is being positioned around, with its three 'Sutras’ being the foundational principles. These Sutras will define how AI can be harnessed through multilateral cooperation for collective benefit. The three Sutras will permeate the deliberations and activities at the Summit through seven focused themes, termed 'Chakras'. Each Chakra represents a specific domain of multilateral cooperation that channels collective efforts toward tangible outcomes, ensuring that the global AI agenda moves decisively from “Action” to “Impact”. Read the article ‘AI Impact Summit 2026’ in Vigyan Dhara – Shaping AI for INDIA and the WORLD to know more details : https://lnkd.in/gjTH78Xw Visit the Summit's website: https://lnkd.in/gT4_VZVJ Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini | IndiaAI | Abhishek Singh | Kavita Bhatia | Dr. Preeti Banzal | B. Chagun Basha | Animesh Jain | Ayushee Chaudhary | Shakun Shan | Suryanjay Singh | Varas Duggu

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) organised a Curtain Raiser for Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave (ESTIC-2025) Read the PIB Release: https://lnkd.in/gUVaR3qW

“The Indo-Swiss cooperation in Science and Technology is on a very firm ground. What it means is that there is an institutional framework for enhancing this cooperation between these two democracies, which can also be a model for many bilateral relations,” shared the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood in a dialogue with Switzerland’s State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Alexandre Fasel, at the #GESDASummit 2025, held in Geneva. Tune into the discussion on how India and Switzerland are pioneering frameworks that integrate science advice, science policy and anticipatory diplomacy with global cooperation, amid emerging frontier technologies such as AI and quantum computing. Watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/g_FUdx3z Mercedes Ruehl | Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA | GESDA - Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator | Arindam Bagchi | B. Chagun Basha | Arnav Bhasin

As AI systems become powerful, the need for advanced computing infrastructure, vast datasets, and high-speed network elements is becoming energy-intensive and environmentally consequential. In 2022, data centres consumed approximately 460 terawatt-hours of electricity. However, AI is accompanied by a paradox, holding transformative potential to also address climate challenges. Its modelling techniques enable forecasting of glacial melt, drought progression, carbon fluxes and facilitate targeted interventions. For instance, AI-driven systems analysing polar ice dynamics can compute meltwater discharge rates up to 10,000 times faster than conventional approaches, improving the precision and speed of climate impact assessments. In the article “Building AI for a Sustainable Tomorrow”, Ms. Divya Vashisht, PhD, OSD - Office of PSA, explores the transformative potential of AI alongside its substantial energy and ecological demands. It delves into India’s dual mandate for AI and Sustainability, the Twin Pillars of Sustainable AI, the Regulatory Framework for Sustainable AI Deployment, and Global Governance for Sustainable AI. Read the article in our September edition of Vigyan Dhara at https://lnkd.in/gjTH78Xw Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini | Dr. Preeti Banzal | B. Chagun Basha | Ayushee Chaudhary | Shakun Shan | Suryanjay Singh | Varas Duggu

Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, released the following publications under the AI for India 2030 initiative led by the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) India, World Economic Forum on 22nd October 2025: ● Future Farming in India: AI Playbook for Agriculture: an outline to scale AI for millions of farmers, aiming to boost yields, manage risks, and improve market access. ● Transforming Small Businesses – An AI Playbook for India’s SMEs: a strategic roadmap to help India's SMEs overcome challenges in productivity, credit access, and market reach by democratising AI ● White Paper – Shaping the AI Sandbox Ecosystem for the Intelligent Age: strategic and operational frameworks for establishing controlled environments to test and scale AI, ensuring solutions are secure, reliable, and aligned to India’s priorities. The release was announced in the presence of Shri S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Shri S.C.L. Das, Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of PSA; and Mr. Anindya Banerjee, Advisor (Digital Infrastructure), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India. “India’s AI journey is defined by transformation at the grassroots. These playbooks are timely and provide clear strategies for making AI inclusive and impactful, ensuring that technological advancements translate into real benefits for our farmers, entrepreneurs, and communities nationwide. I urge all stakeholders to work collectively in implementing these actionable roadmaps for the nation’s growth,” said PSA Prof. Sood. Scientific Secretary Dr. Maini noted that OPSA’s S&T Clusters can play a pivotal role in advancing the implementation roadmap outlined in these reports. Leveraging their existing ecosystem, the clusters can support capacity building and knowledge dissemination, particularly in the early stages. Launched under the guidance of OPSA and MeitY, and driven by a multi-stakeholder Advisory Council, the AI for India 2030 initiative aims to develop frameworks with strategic and global relevance, placing responsible, inclusive, and scale-driven AI at the heart of India's digital economy. Read the PIB Press Release: https://lnkd.in/g-4rgJ3r Reports can be accessed on: https://lnkd.in/gWwMppsi IndiaAI | Boston Consulting Group (BCG) | Dr. Preeti Banzal | Vivek Kumar | Divya Vashisht, PhD | Animesh Jain | Purushottam Kaushik | Ayushi Sarna | Harsh Sharma | Saumil Agarwal | Pooja Rajdev, Ph.D. | Gaurav Jindal | Tejpreet Chopra | Sanjeev Krishan | Shweta Rajpal Kohli | Rajat Arora

The IDEA ONE: National One-Health Hackathon, launched under the National One Health Mission conceptualised by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, invites students, researchers, and early-career professionals to collaborate and build cross-sectoral solutions for integrated health, environment, and surveillance. This initiative challenges multidisciplinary teams to develop scalable, practical tools aligned with 12 strategic themes, including zoonotic disease detection, integrated data platforms, antimicrobial resistance tracking, emergency preparedness and more. Teams with a passion for public health, animal and environmental welfare, and resilient community design are strongly encouraged to contribute. The regional presentations lead up to the Grand Finale on 20th November 2025, with a total prize pool of Rs 3 lakhs for all phases. Registrations close on 25th October 2025. Find further details and application visit: https://lnkd.in/g6_AbttD Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini | Sindura Ganapathi | Sangeeta Agarwal | Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

#ESTIC2025 unites 13 Ministries/Departments on one platform—a powerhouse of scientific vision driving #AtmanirbharBharat. With a strong vision & dynamic mission, it advances #ViksitBharat2047 — adding value to every citizen, in every corner. Dr Jitendra Singh Abhay Karandikar Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Department of Biotechnology CSIR India Ministry of Earth Sciences