India to accelerate path to developed nation status by 2047 through AI

India will accelerate its journey towards developed nation status by 2047 through the large-scale adoption of artificial intelligence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, arguing that the country’s digital public infrastructure could serve as a model for the Global South.

In an interview with ANI, a partner of TV BRICS, Modi stated that India had built its digital infrastructure as a public good rather than a proprietary platform. He emphasised that its open and interoperable architecture had created a shared foundation for innovation.

“Our systems work for 1.4 billion people, irrespective of their socio-economic status, literacy level, region or language,” Modi said.

India has prioritised the convergence of digital public infrastructure and artificial intelligence as a pillar of its economic strategy. Flagship initiatives include the biometric identification system Aadhaar and the instant payment platform Unified Payments Interface, both of which operate nationwide.

According to the Prime Minister, the responsible deployment of AI can address structural challenges to economic growth, expand opportunity and narrow the divide between urban and rural communities. He cited examples including early disease diagnosis, personalised educational content in local languages for rural students, and the digitisation and interpretation of ancient manuscripts.

AI-based applications are also being introduced in agriculture, providing farmers with real-time data on soil quality, weather conditions and best cultivation practices, enabling more informed decision-making directly in the field.

“With its experience of building a human-centric Digital Public Infrastructure, India is best placed to ensure that AI's benefits reach the last mile, to farmers in villages, students in small towns, MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, informal workers and youth across rural and urban India, and not remain confined to a narrow urban elite. Technology must serve every citizen, regardless of geography, gender or income. The goal is not AI adoption for its own sake. It is AI that genuinely empowers citizens and accelerates India's journey toward becoming a developed nation by 2047, and offers a scalable model for the Global South,” Prime Minister started.

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is taking place in New Delhi from 16 to 20 February, marking the first initiative of its kind in the Global South. Around 250,000 delegates are expected to attend, including 20 heads of state and 60 ministers.

Held under the motto "Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhaye" (“Well-being and happiness for all”), the summit focuses on three core themes: people, planet and progress. Its stated aim is to explore the potential of artificial intelligence through international cooperation and to promote principles of safe, responsible and inclusive AI deployment.