India is making bold moves to embed artificial intelligence (AI) in governance, with ministries utilizing AI instruments to deliver better public services and boost operational efficiency. From weather prediction and disease diagnosis to automated court document translation and meeting transcription, AI is being adopted by industry verticals to streamline processes and service delivery.
The Ministry of Science and Technology is also using AI in precipitation-based weather and climate forecasting, among other things, such as the Advanced Dvorak Technique (AiDT) for estimating cyclone strength and hybrid AI models for weather forecasting. Further, a MauasamGPT, an AI enabled chatbot is being developed for delivering climate advisories to the farmers and other stakeholders.
Indian Railways has implemented AI in automating handover notes for incoming officers and for checking kitchen cleanliness using sensor cameras. According to reports the ministries are also testing the feasibility of using AI to transcribe long meetings, though the technology is still limited to process (not decision) orientation. Central public sector enterprises such as SAIL, NMDC and MOIL are leveraging AI in process and cost optimization, predictive analytics and in anomaly detection.
Experts, including KPMG India’s Akhilesh Tuteja, recommend a whole-of-government approach to accelerate AI adoption, a transition from pilot projects to full-scale implementation by ministries and states. India AI Governance Guidelines have been released by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity), which constitutes an AI governance group comprising major regulatory bodies to evolve standards, audit mechanism and interoperable tools.
National Informatics Centre (NIC) has been a pioneer in offering AI as a service for central and state government ministries/departments. AI Satyapikaanan, the face verifier tool is being used by the regional transport offices for driver's license renewals and by the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System for suspect identification. Ministry of Panchayati Raj is backing rural governance that is AI-based (Geospatial analytics) service known as Gram Manchitra.
AI is also making strides in healthcare and justice. The e-Sanjeevani telemedicine platform integrates a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) to enhance consultation quality and streamline patient data. AI solutions for diabetic retinopathy screening and abnormal chest X-ray classification have been implemented in multiple states, benefiting thousands of patients.
In the judiciary, AI is being used to translate court judgments into vernacular languages using tools like AI Panini, which covers all 22 official Indic languages. Despite these advances, officials note that AI usage remains largely confined to non-critical functions, and there are limitations, especially regarding financial transactions and high-stakes decision-making.
