AI for Viksit Bharat Roadmap and Frontier Tech Repository

General Studies Paper-2/3

Context

• NITI Aayog launched two transformative initiatives, AI for Viksit Bharat Roadmap: Opportunity for Accelerated Economic Growth and NITI Frontier Tech Repository under its Frontier Tech Hub.

AI for Viksit Bharat Roadmap

• The roadmap lays out a practical action plan to translate AI’s promise into outcomes, highlighting two major levers:
  • Accelerating adoption of AI across industries to enhance productivity and efficiency;
  • Transforming R&D with generative AI to help India leapfrog into innovation-driven opportunities.
• Vision: Mainstream AI-assisted technologies across all districts to foster inclusive development and ensure India does not lag in the global tech race.

NITI Frontier Tech Repository

• The Frontier Tech Repository showcases 200+ impact stories from across India in four sectors – Agriculture, Healthcare, Education, and National Security.
• It brings to life how states and startups are deploying technology with the purpose to transform livelihoods.
• Supporting Initiatives:
  • Frontier 50 Initiative wherein NITI Aayog will support 50 Aspirational Districts / Blocks to pick use cases from the Repository and deploy those frontier technologies that have potential to accelerate saturation of services across ADP/ABP themes.
  • NITI Frontier Tech Impact Awards for States recognizing three states excelling in use of tech to improve governance, education, healthcare, livelihood etc., and supporting them to scale measurable, transformative outcomes.

How AI Can Transform Key Sectors?

• Banking and Finance: Artificial Intelligence has the potential to add $50–55 billion to India’s banking sector by 2035.
  • It can strengthen fraud detection, ensure regulatory compliance, and make back-office operations more efficient.
• Manufacturing and Industry: AI-driven automation in manufacturing is expected to generate $85–100 billion in productivity gains by 2035. Generative AI can help design innovative products and optimize factory operations.
• Pharmaceuticals and Biotech: AI has the power to transform India’s pharmaceutical industry from a generics-based market to an innovation-driven hub.
  • Generative AI and computational biology can reduce drug discovery timelines by 60–80% and lower costs by 20–30%.
• Automotive: By 2035, around 40–50% of vehicles sold in India could be software-enabled, adding $6–8 billion in value.
  • AI can also transform the auto-components industry, creating an additional $25–30 billion through faster and cheaper design processes.

Challenges

• Data fragmentation and weak privacy protections.
• Old IT systems in banks and industries.
• Shortage of AI experts in robotics, chip design, and bioinformatics.
• Slow approval processes for new drugs and technologies.
• Cybersecurity risks and ethical issues like algorithmic bias.

Strategic factors necessary for AI Roadmap

• Digital Infrastructure: Expansion of AI computing power, cloud services, 5G networks, and robotics test zones under the India AI Mission.
• Data Governance: Secure and consent-based data sharing, building sector-specific data grids, and strengthening AI Kosh as a national data platform.
• Skilling and Talent: AI education at school and university levels, industry certifications, AI Open University, and fellowships to bring back diaspora talent.
• Regulation: Clear ethical guidelines, audit systems, regulatory sandboxes, and alignment with international standards.

Concluding remarks

• India’s goal of 8% sustained growth requires a major boost in productivity and innovation, and AI is the key enabler.
• To achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the country must not only adopt AI but also lead globally in setting standards, driving innovation, and building collaborative ecosystems.