PM Modi Champions AI Governance and India-First Innovation at Deeptech Startup Roundtable
Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a significant roundtable discussion with leaders from India's burgeoning deeptech startup ecosystem on Friday, delivering a powerful message on the government's commitment to expanding artificial intelligence adoption. The meeting underscored a strategic focus on robust data governance, essential human oversight, and innovation tailored specifically for India's unique needs across critical sectors like healthcare, education, and citizen services.
Gathering of Innovators
The high-level roundtable brought together founders and chief executives from sixteen prominent deeptech startups, representing a diverse cross-section of the industry. Participants included Adalat AI, BrainSightAI, Rubrik, SatSure, Credo AI, Eka Care, Glean, Innogle, Invideo, Miko, Origin, Rasen, Supernova, and Sypha AI. This engagement occurred amidst a packed schedule for the Prime Minister, which featured seven bilateral meetings with global leaders from Liechtenstein, the Slovak Republic, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius, alongside discussions with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Qualcomm's Cristiano Amon.
Core Principles of AI Deployment
During the discussions, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that fairness, transparency, and meaningful human oversight must remain non-negotiable pillars in the design and deployment of artificial intelligence systems. Arghya Bhattacharya, co-founder of Adalat AI, noted that the Prime Minister's principles closely align with his company's philosophy. Adalat AI is developing India's comprehensive justice technology stack aimed at reducing legal delays, streamlining judicial workflows, and improving access to justice for citizens.
Bipul Sinha, co-founder and CEO of the US-based cybersecurity firm Rubrik, highlighted that the roundtable powerfully underscored Modi's visionary outlook for India's digital future. Sinha pointed to the immense potential for deploying artificial intelligence at scale within transformative sectors such as agricultural technology, healthcare delivery, and educational systems. "He possesses a granular understanding of the specific areas where AI can create genuine impact and make a substantial difference—from space technology advancements to agricultural innovations," Sinha remarked.
Buoyant Outlook for India's Deeptech Ecosystem
Prateep Basu, founder and CEO of Bengaluru-based SatSure, shared insights with the Times of India, revealing the Prime Minister's enthusiastic perspective on India's deeptech landscape. "Prime Minister Modi was exceptionally buoyant about India's deeptech ecosystem. He expressed genuine excitement about both deep research AI firms and applied AI companies, articulating his anticipation for enterprises that 'build in India, build for India, and build from India for the world,'" Basu stated.
Projected Growth and Strategic Drivers
India's deeptech sector, encompassing defense technologies, robotics, humanoids, and various emerging technologies, is currently at a critical inflection point. According to analysis from Redseer Strategy Consultants, this dynamic sector is projected to expand 2.5 times, reaching an estimated valuation between $27 billion and $33 billion by the year 2030. This remarkable growth trajectory is being propelled by rapid advancements in defense technology and robotics innovation.
The consulting firm estimated the current deeptech market size at approximately $9 billion to $12 billion for the 2024-25 period. Their report specifically identified defense deeptech as one of the most potent and strongest drivers fueling this anticipated growth, signaling strategic importance for national security and technological sovereignty.
The roundtable concluded with a reinforced commitment from the government to foster an environment where deeptech startups can thrive, innovate responsibly, and contribute to India's position as a global leader in ethical and impactful artificial intelligence development.
