Govt prioritises AI innovation over regulations: IT Secy Krishnan

The central government will prioritise fostering innovation over imposing immediate regulation in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, IT Secretary S Krishnan said on Friday. Addressing concerns about potential regulation, Krishnan stated that the primary objective was to create an environment conducive to AI innovation, with regulation to follow as the sector evolves.

"Today, the emphasis is fundamentally on innovation. The emphasis is on making sure that innovation is given adequate play in the AI space so that we can harness the benefits of this technology and, at the same time, guard against whatever harms can come up. "...We have a very positive outlook on AI, and the impact that it could have for India and for the globe, and therefore we need to give as much space as possible for innovation to play out in this space, and for the true benefits of AI as a horizontal technology to be realised by the Indian economy, by India's people," Krishnan said at CNBC-TV18's Global Leadership Summit 2025.

He said as with all technologies, there will be elements that are problematic, and wherever issues arise, the government will use existing legal frameworks and tweak existing rules or legislate, depending on the requirement.

Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, said internal discussions and consultations are underway to continue and extend the largescale electronics manufacturing, which is set to end this year.

Addressing concerns about employment disruption in the IT sector due to AI adoption, Krishnan acknowledged the changing nature of jobs but emphasised that "the impact on employment isn't likely to be as grave," as feared.

He stressed the importance of skilling and up-skilling, stating that both new entrants and experienced workers must be prepared for evolving market requirements.