Government Prioritises AI Skills and Domain-Specific Models, Says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Minister of Information & Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Thursday reiterated that the Indian government is placing a strong focus on skilling in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He made these remarks during the inauguration of the pre-event ceremony of the AI Impact Summit 2026, organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in New Delhi. 

He explained that the placement of AI Data Labs across “diverse regions—not just in typical hubs like Bengaluru or Mumbai—but spread across various locations” is intentional.

“That’s by design, not accidental,” he added, underscoring that this geographic spread reflects the government’s aim for inclusive growth and democratised technology access.

Democratization of AI & Human-Centred Focus

Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasised that India’s AI initiatives are aimed at being human-centric, favouring inclusive growth and ensuring technology reaches all strata of society. Among his observations:

• The government aims to make technology accessible to everyone.

• It seeks to establish a governance framework for AI that is acceptable to a broad swathe of the world.

• India’s historical approach includes building universally accessible technologies like UPI, which he cited as a model.

• He noted the necessity of using technology to address population-scale challenges. 

Strategic Shift to Domain-Specific & Small AI Models

A strategic adjustment in how AI models are developed was also highlighted:

Domain-Specific Models

“Our selection of partners for developing models is guided by the latest thinking in the technical world. Models focused on solving problems in particular sectors are more effective and have higher utility,” Vaishnaw stated. He indicated that AI models aimed at specific domains (for example healthcare, material sciences) will have more impact. 

Emphasis on Small, Specialized Models Alongside Large Ones

He clarified that while institutions like IIT Bombay will continue work on large-scale AI models, there is also a deliberate mission to promote many smaller, specialized models. “We will require 1,000 small models designed to solve specific problems, for example in healthcare and material sciences, supporting India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat mission,” he said. 

Related Developments & Timeline

AI Impact Summit 2026

• The AI Impact Summit is scheduled for 19-20 February 2026 in India. 

• It follows earlier summits held in the UK, South Korea, and France. 

• Among its goals is to shift from broad safety/governance discussions to measurable impact, especially in sectors like agriculture, education, healthcare and energy. 

AI Governance Framework

• A governance framework addressing AI safety, synthetic content, deepfakes, and citizen protection is expected by September 28, 2025. 

• This framework is intended to include inputs from many stakeholders (industry, academia, civil society). 

Why This Matters

• Ensuring that AI education and labs are not just concentrated in established tech centers helps reduce regional disparity.

• Domain-specific small models can be more efficient, cost-effective and tailored to local challenges (healthcare, agriculture etc.).

• A proper governance framework is critical to prevent misuse (e.g. misinformation, AI bias, deepfakes) and ensure trust.

• Aligning AI efforts with the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission emphasises self-reliance and indigenous development.

Conclusion

India’s AI strategy, as articulated by Ashwini Vaishnaw, signals a maturing approach: moving beyond generic big-model hype to focus also on real-world impact, human-centric growth, and democratic access.

By distributing AI data labs, promoting skill development, and supporting a thousand small models in critical sectors such as healthcare and materials, the government aims to ensure AI serves all parts of the country.

The upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026 and the expected governance framework will be crucial milestones in turning these plans into action.