Trust as the Cornerstone of Tech Success: Nasscom VP on India's AI Governance Strategy
In a significant statement on artificial intelligence governance, Ashish Aggarwal, Vice President of Public Policy at Nasscom, has emphasized that future success in the technology sector will fundamentally depend on establishing a robust foundation of trust. Speaking from New Delhi, Aggarwal outlined India's carefully calibrated approach to AI governance, specifically designed to address emerging challenges like deepfakes, digital frauds, and various user harms that threaten the digital ecosystem.
India's Calibrated Approach to AI Governance
Aggarwal highlighted that India's unique position as a nation with over 1.4 billion diverse citizens necessitates a particularly careful and thoughtful regulatory framework. The country is actively working to ensure that technological advancements do not come at the expense of citizen safety and security. The escalating incidents of financial frauds and digital arrests have made this governance approach not just important but imperative, according to the Nasscom executive.
"We are a country of 1.4 plus billion people and we have a very diverse, heterogeneous population. So obviously we need to be very careful and we need to make sure that the citizens are not harmed," Aggarwal stated, pointing specifically to the rising threats of deepfakes and other digital harms. He further elaborated that addressing these challenges effectively is crucial even from an industry perspective, as sustainable growth and innovation cannot flourish without public confidence.
From Reactive Regulations to Technology-Led Guardrails
Aggarwal noted a paradigm shift in regulatory thinking, moving away from traditional reactive measures toward proactive, technology-driven safeguards. Instead of regulations merely responding to user harms after they occur, there is now increasing emphasis on establishing what he termed "technology-led guardrails" that can prevent issues before they manifest.
"Instead of regulations chasing harms, what we are seeing evolve is an approach where we can set technology-led guardrails," Aggarwal explained. He pointed to India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) stack as a prime example of this forward-thinking approach. The identity layer, payments layer, and telecom infrastructure collectively enable the creation of a strong, scalable consent layer that empowers citizens to exercise control over their digital interactions effectively.
AI as Both Challenge and Solution
In what might seem paradoxical to some, Aggarwal positioned artificial intelligence not just as a source of potential harm but as a powerful tool for addressing those very challenges. He described technology, and AI specifically, as "a great enabler" that can be strategically deployed to track, minimize, and prevent many of the harms generated by technological advancement itself.
"Technology itself is a great enabler and AI itself can be used a lot to track, minimise, and prevent a lot of these harms," Aggarwal emphasized. This perspective suggests that the solutions to technology-induced problems may well lie within technology itself, particularly through sophisticated AI systems designed for monitoring and prevention.
Government's Comprehensive Approach and Industry Implications
The Nasscom VP praised what he described as a "whole of government" approach to AI governance, referencing recent developments including the proposed AI framework from the IT Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India's comprehensive report on driving AI adoption. This coordinated effort reflects the seriousness with which India is approaching AI governance, balancing innovation with protection.
Aggarwal's comments underscore a critical reality for the technology industry: without public trust, even the most advanced technological innovations face limited adoption and success. As India continues to develop its AI governance framework, the emphasis on building this trust foundation through calibrated regulation, technology-led safeguards, and proactive harm prevention could serve as a model for other nations navigating similar challenges in the digital age.
