In his brief address at the Outreach Session of the recent G7 Summit in Italy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted three key priorities for India: technology and Artificial Intelligence, energy security and affordability, and last-mile service delivery.
Focusing on technology, PM Modi urged global leaders gathered in Italy to work together to ensure that technological advancements benefit all sections of society, thus enabling the full potential of every individual. He emphasized the need to eliminate social inequalities and expand human capabilities rather than limiting them. “The twenty-first century is the century of technology,” PM Modi remarked, noting its pervasive influence on human life. He highlighted the dual nature of technology, which offers immense possibilities like space exploration while also posing challenges such as cyber security.
PM Modi advocated for transforming technological monopolies into tools for mass usage, stating, “We have to convert monopoly in technology into mass usage.” He stressed that technology should be used creatively rather than destructively to build an inclusive society.
India, he mentioned, is committed to a better future through a human-centric approach and is among the pioneers in formulating a National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence. India’s efforts include building public digital infrastructure to serve its citizens, with initiatives like UPI, Jan Dhan, Aadhar, ONDC, and CoWin exemplifying this strategy. He emphasized that India’s innovations are designed to benefit not only India but also other countries.
PM Modi also discussed India’s A.I. Mission, which is based on the principle “AI for All.” As a founding member and lead chair of the Global Partnership for AI, India promotes international cooperation in AI. During the G-20 Summit hosted by India, the importance of international governance in AI was underscored, and PM Modi committed to continuing efforts to make AI transparent, fair, secure, accessible, and responsible. India’s stance on AI and emerging technologies is that they should be used in a “safe and trusted” manner.
At the invitation of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, PM Modi traveled to the Apulia region in Italy to participate in the G7 Outreach Summit. This visit marked his first overseas trip since beginning his third consecutive term in office.
