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Centre sets up expert panel to steer AI governance framework

April 18, 2026 4 min read Science & Technology Polity & Governance GS3 (Science & Technology) GS2 (Governance)
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What Happened

  • The Central Government has constituted a new expert panel to provide guidance on artificial intelligence governance, aimed at aligning policy across ministries and departments.
  • The panel is being set up under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) as part of the broader IndiaAI Mission framework.
  • The move follows the release of the India AI Governance Guidelines (November 5, 2025) and builds on institutional structures recommended therein, including the AI Governance Group (AIGG) and the Technology & Policy Expert Committee (TPEC).
  • Rather than enacting standalone AI legislation, India is pursuing a principle-based, sector-specific regulatory model that leverages existing laws.
  • The AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), chaired by the Union Minister for Electronics and IT, will bring together the Principal Scientific Adviser, Chief Economic Adviser, CEO of NITI Aayog, and secretaries from key departments.

Static Topic Bridges

IndiaAI Mission (2024) — National AI Infrastructure Programme

The IndiaAI Mission was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2024 with a total outlay of ₹10,371.92 crore over five years. It is the primary national programme for building AI capacity, infrastructure, and governance in India, implemented under MeitY.

  • Budget: ₹10,371.92 crore (approx. $1.25 billion) over five years.
  • Seven components: IndiaAI Compute Capacity, IndiaAI Innovation Centre (IAIC), IndiaAI Datasets Platform, IndiaAI Application Development Initiative, IndiaAI FutureSkills, IndiaAI Startup Financing, and Safe & Trusted AI.
  • Objectives: democratise computing access, develop indigenous AI models, attract AI talent, enable industry collaboration, ensure ethically aligned AI deployment.
  • Implemented by MeitY; overseen by the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and IndiaAI portal (indiaai.gov.in).
  • Union Budget 2024–25 allocated over ₹550 crore specifically for the IndiaAI Mission.

Connection to this news: The expert panel is a governance layer within the IndiaAI Mission architecture — translating the mission's "Safe & Trusted AI" pillar into institutional coordination structures.

India AI Governance Guidelines, 2025 — Seven Sutras Framework

Released on November 5, 2025, under MeitY, the India AI Governance Guidelines introduced a non-legislative, principle-based framework for responsible AI development and deployment — India's first comprehensive AI governance document.

  • Seven core principles (Sutras): Trust; People First; Innovation over Restraint; Fairness & Equity; Accountability; Understandable by Design; Safety, Resilience & Sustainability.
  • Six institutional pillars: Infrastructure; Capacity Building; Policy & Regulation; Risk Mitigation; Accountability; Institutions.
  • Regulatory approach: "light-touch" — no umbrella AI law; sector-specific regulators (RBI, SEBI, TRAI, etc.) to govern AI in their domains.
  • Recommended new bodies: AI Governance Group (AIGG) for cross-ministry coordination; Technology & Policy Expert Committee (TPEC) for expert inputs; IndiaAI Safety Institute for research.
  • Drafting committee constituted by MeitY in July 2025.

Connection to this news: The expert panel being set up is a materialisation of the TPEC concept from the 2025 Guidelines — institutionalising the advisory layer that bridges technical expertise and policy formulation.

India's Approach to AI Regulation vs Global Models

India has consciously chosen not to follow the EU's prescriptive regulatory model (EU AI Act, 2024) and instead adopted a "governance-first" approach that allows innovation while building oversight capacity.

  • EU AI Act (2024): Risk-based classification (unacceptable, high, limited, minimal risk); binding obligations; fines up to €35 million or 7% of global turnover for violations.
  • US approach: Executive Order on AI (October 2023); sector-specific guidelines; no comprehensive federal law as of 2026.
  • India's approach: Sectoral regulation by existing regulators; no standalone AI Act; principle-based guidelines; emphasis on inclusion and development goals.
  • IT Act 2000 and IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 currently provide partial coverage for AI-related harms.
  • India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 provides the foundational data governance layer for AI systems.

Connection to this news: The expert panel will need to navigate the tension between India's innovation-first stance and the growing global consensus on binding AI regulation — particularly as India positions itself as a responsible AI nation ahead of global forums.

The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, is the primary legislative framework governing how personal data can be collected, processed, and used in India — directly relevant to AI systems trained on or processing personal data.

  • Enacted: August 2023; full operationalisation depends on Data Protection Board (DPB) constitution.
  • Key principles: lawful processing; purpose limitation; data minimisation; accuracy; storage limitation; accountability.
  • Creates a Data Protection Board of India as the adjudicatory body.
  • Significant consent carve-outs for the State — government processing for subsidies/services does not require consent.
  • Penalties: up to ₹250 crore per violation.

Connection to this news: Any AI governance framework in India must align with the DPDP Act — the expert panel's recommendations will need to address how AI systems handle personal data, consent, and automated decision-making within the DPDP framework.

Key Facts & Data

  • IndiaAI Mission approved: March 2024; budget: ₹10,371.92 crore over five years
  • India AI Governance Guidelines released: November 5, 2025, by MeitY
  • Seven governing principles (Sutras): Trust, People First, Innovation over Restraint, Fairness & Equity, Accountability, Understandable by Design, Safety/Resilience/Sustainability
  • New governance bodies recommended: AIGG (coordination), TPEC (expert advisory), IndiaAI Safety Institute
  • India's regulatory approach: sector-specific, no umbrella AI law
  • AIGEG chaired by Union Minister for Electronics and IT; includes PSA, CEA, NITI Aayog CEO
  • Digital Personal Data Protection Act enacted: August 2023
  • EU AI Act enacted: 2024 (for comparison — risk-based, binding obligations)