The Ministry of Commerce and Industry constituted an AI Task Force of 18-members for India’s economic transformation on August 24, 2017. The Task Force was established for creation of policy and legal framework for deployment of AI technologies, and provide recommendations for government, industry, and research programs. The ministry focused on embedding AI for the country’s economic, political, and legal processes by leveraging key developments in industry domains such as manufacturing, fintech, healthcare, agriculture, education, retail, human and robot interaction, AADHAR, environment, national security, and public utility services.

In January 2018, the Task Force published a report in which it has recommended an Inter-Ministerial National Artificial Intelligence Mission to act as a nodal agency for AI-related developments and activities in India. 

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry framed a new Industrial Policy in consultation with all central ministries, state governments, industries and stakeholders to align India with latest technologies such as drones, AI, and blockchain. The policy has been outlined in sync with the challenges and opportunities in India with Industry 4.0 technologies and to position India in global supply and value chains.

In July 2018, Invest India (a non-profit venture under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry) and the UAE Ministry for Artificial Intelligence signed a MoU for India-UAE Artificial Intelligence Bridge. The MoU aims to generate an estimated US$20 billion in economic benefits for both India and UAE. It will boost developments across areas like AI, blockchain, and analytics for innovation and business growth. This collaboration between India and UAE will lead to the evaluation of dynamic nature of innovation and technology by assembling a UAE-India AI Working Group (TWG) between UAE Ministry for Artificial Intelligence, Invest India, and Startup India.