The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, the IndiaAI Mission, and Sciences Po Paris, successfully hosted the ‘2nd India-France AI Policy Roundtable’ as an official side event to the AI Action Summit 2025. Held at the Sciences Po Paris University campus, this high-level discussion brought together policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to explore collaborative AI governance and innovation between India and France.

Strategic Opening and Policy Priorities

The roundtable commenced with opening remarks by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, PSA, to the Government of India, who emphasized India's priorities in AI policy and governance. Prof. Sood outlined key focus areas, including responsible AI development, equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms, the adoption of techno-legal AI governance frameworks, interoperable data flows, and international collaboration on AI safety, research, and innovation. He underscored the potential for India and France to synergize their policy approaches and technological initiatives, benefiting bilateral relations and contributing to global AI advancements.

Co-Chair Perspectives on AI Governance and International Collaboration

Following the keynote, Shri Amit A. Shukla, Joint Secretary, Cyber Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs of India, and H.E. Henri Verdier, Ambassador for Digital Affairs, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, delivered co-chair remarks. Their discussion highlighted critical areas such as:

• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for AI – Strengthening AI-driven public services.
• AI Foundation Models – Encouraging the development of sovereign AI models.
• Global AI Governance – Addressing ethical AI deployment and regulatory harmonization.
• Integration of AI in Global Challenges – Leveraging AI for pressing global issues, such as climate change and public health.

The co-chairs also addressed challenges related to cross-border data flows, emphasizing the necessity of arbitration mechanisms and aligned perspectives on data sovereignty.

Key Interventions and Expert Insights

Prominent AI experts and policymakers contributed insights on AI democratization, regulatory frameworks, and technological cooperation. Notable participants included:

• Dr Preeti Banzal (Office of PSA, Government of India)
• Smt. Kavita Bhatia (MeitY, Government of India)
• Mr. Clément Bacchi (French Ministry of Economy and Finance)
• Ms. Hélène Costa (French Ministry for the Ecological Transition)
• Mr. Sharad Sharma (iSPIRT Foundation)
• Dr. Sarayu Natarajan (Aapti Institute)
• Kapil Vaswani (Microsoft Research)
• Vivek Raghavan (Sarvam AI)

The discussions focused on promoting broad access to artificial intelligence, developing AI-related skills and expertise, and establishing strong techno-legal frameworks for AI governance. Participants also addressed the importance of sovereign AI models, ethical AI deployment, and the development of standardized global AI terminologies.

Strategic Outcomes and Future Collaboration

The roundtable emphasized several strategic outcomes, including:

• Development of multilingual Large Language Models (LLMs) tailored for diverse linguistic populations.
• Establishment of a federated AI compute infrastructure to enhance accessibility to AI research and high-performance computing.
• Strengthening cross-border collaboration on AI research, datasets, and regulatory frameworks.
• Advancing sustainable AI and energy-efficient computing solutions.
• Encouraging joint innovation in AI-driven startups and AI’s integration into economic and societal frameworks.

Building on the First Roundtable’s Foundations

The discussions at the Second Roundtable built upon objectives outlined during the First India-France AI Policy Roundtable, held at IISc Bengaluru on January 25, 2025, as part of the Technology Dialogue 2025. The first roundtable emphasized:

• Inclusive AI frameworks with diverse datasets and infrastructure.
• Public-private partnerships for AI research and development.
• Sustainable AI applications in sectors like healthcare and governance.
• Long-term AI policy alignment between India and France.

Both roundtables have reinforced the commitment to ethical and responsible AI deployment, positioning India and France as key players in shaping global AI governance.

For further details, visit: Technology Dialogue 2025 - AI Roundtable.

Source: PIB