The editorial discusses India’s approach to AI governance and argues that India is at risk of drifting from a Global South–centric vision toward dependency on U.S.-led technology and policy frameworks.
It begins by contrasting the orientation of the India AI Impact Summit 2026—where India sought to center the Global South’s harms, equity, and inclusion in AI discourse—with earlier summits focused on existential risks.
Over time, the summit’s momentum shifted towards attracting capital for AI development and accelerating adoption through domestic use cases.
This shift coincided with India positioning itself within a 'middle power' narrative, which arguably weakened solidarity with Global South priorities.
India’s alignment with a U.S.-dominated semiconductor supply-chain initiative has been cited as compromising its strategic autonomy.
Concerns have emerged about whether the U.S. will be a reliable partner for global AI governance, as its foreign policy appears disinterested in multilateral rule-making.
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