India Releases Techno-Legal Framework for AI Governance

India's Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser released a white paper on 23rd January, outlining a "techno-legal" framework for AI governance that integrates legal safeguards, technical controls, and institutional mechanisms to balance innovation with risk. 

The framework departs from prescriptive European approaches and data-restrictive Chinese models, proposing instead a governance-led ecosystem emphasizing responsible innovation and deployment.

Central to the initiative is the establishment of the AI Governance Group (AIGG), chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser, which will coordinate between government ministries, regulators, and policy advisory bodies to address fragmentation in governance and operational processes (ANI News, 2026). The AIGG will promote responsible AI innovation, identify regulatory gaps, and recommend necessary legal amendments.

Supporting the AIGG is a Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC) housed within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, pooling multidisciplinary expertise from law, public policy, machine learning, AI safety, and cybersecurity. 

The framework also establishes the AI Safety Institute (AISI) to evaluate, test, and ensure safety of AI systems deployed across sectors, developing techno-legal tools to address content authentication, bias, and cybersecurity.

A national AI Incident Database will record, classify, and analyze safety failures, biased outcomes, and security breaches nationwide to monitor post-deployment risks. The government plans to offer financial, technical, and regulatory incentives to organizations demonstrating leadership in responsible AI practices, including transparency reporting and red-teaming exercises.

Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood stated that responsive governance structures are prerequisites for long-term technological development.