From cybersecurity to cancer care: MeitY highlights early AI adoption across public services

The Government has said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly being deployed across governance and public services as part of India’s broader digital transformation agenda. Responding in Parliament, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada said the country’s AI strategy is rooted in the vision to democratise technology and unlock economic and employment opportunities while addressing India-centric challenges in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, education, climate resilience, and assistive technologies.

AI-based initiatives are being implemented by various Central and State Government departments, with applications in governance and service delivery. The details of AI services deployed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) across central projects have been shared as part of the Government’s response.

IndiaAI Mission enters deployment phase

Prasada noted that the strategic IndiaAI Mission, launched in March 2024, aims to build a robust and inclusive AI ecosystem aligned with national development priorities. As on date, 30 AI applications have been approved under the IndiaAI Application Development pillar to address citizen and sectoral needs ranging from disaster management and public health to agriculture and governance. Detailed information has been placed in Annexure-II.

To accelerate innovation for public good, the Mission has also partnered with ministries and government institutions to conduct targeted hackathons:

• CyberGuard AI Hackathon with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) to develop AI-led cybersecurity solutions

• IndiaAI Hackathon on Mineral Targeting 2025 with the Geological Survey of India to identify new exploration zones for critical minerals including REE, Ni-PGE, and copper, along with diamond, iron, manganese, and gold across a defined 39,000 sq. km region in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh

• Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) with the National Cancer Grid (NCG) to enhance early cancer screening, diagnostic accuracy, treatment decisions, operational efficiency, and patient engagement in public healthcare, ensuring clinical validation of AI solutions through collaboration between technologists and clinicians

Focus on Responsible AI

The Government said the Safe & Trusted AI pillar is supporting the development of responsible, secure, and fair AI systems. Thirteen projects selected through an Expression of Interest process are currently under development to create indigenous guardrails, governance frameworks, and self-assessment checklists for innovators. These efforts aim to reinforce citizen safety, security, and trust as AI adoption expands.

National governance framework in place

Addressing concerns around ethics, transparency, and accountability in AI systems, Prasada confirmed the release of the India AI Governance Guidelines on 5 November 2025. This national framework outlines principles and best practices for fairness, safety, security, transparency, and accountability throughout the development and deployment of AI systems in India.

While highlighting the progress under the Mission, the Government emphasised its commitment to ensuring that AI strengthens service delivery and supports India’s development goals through safe and responsible applications.