Ahead of India’s AI Impact Summit 2026: Concerns Over AI Governance
New Delhi: A report released ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to be held in New Delhi, has raised concerns about the country’s approach to AI governance.
Title and Overview
Titled India AI Impact Summit 2026: AI Governance at the Edge of Democratic Backsliding, the report, published by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) and the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), notes a gap between India’s stated commitment to inclusive and democratic AI and the reported use of AI systems in ways that affect minority and marginalized communities.
AI and Political Narratives
Highlighting the role of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in using such material, the report notes several instances where the BJP utilized AI-generated videos and images to spread communal narratives and target opposition leaders. A striking example cited is an AI-generated video uploaded by BJP’s Assam unit depicting the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, shooting at two visibly Muslim men, titled “No Mercy.” This video included a morphed image of opposition leader Gaurav Gogoi, which has since been deleted following widespread criticism.
Surveillance and Law Enforcement
Beyond online content, the report states that law enforcement agencies in several states are using facial recognition systems, predictive policing software, and other AI-based surveillance tools. These deployments reportedly lack independent oversight, judicial approval, and necessary transparency.
Targeting Vulnerable Communities
The report further discusses a collaboration between Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to develop an AI system aimed at identifying alleged Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingya refugees through analysis of speech patterns and language use. Experts warn that such technology could specifically target Bengali-speaking Muslim communities and low-income migrant workers from Assam and West Bengal. The document also mentions accounts of Bengali-speaking Muslim citizens being deported to Bangladesh without due process on suspicion of being undocumented migrants.
Critique of AI Governance Guidelines
The document reviews India’s AI Governance Guidelines issued in November 2025, noting that the framework relies on voluntary compliance rather than binding rules, prioritizing innovation over precaution. While the guidelines reference protecting vulnerable groups, the report indicates that they do not address specific risks faced by religious minorities, Dalit, Bahujan, Adivasi communities, and sexual and gender minorities. It concludes that affected communities are expected to challenge harmful AI systems without mandatory transparency requirements, which would enable such challenges.
Call to Action for the Summit
The AI Impact Summit 2026 is officially centered on “Democratizing AI” and “Bridging the AI Divide” through the themes of “People, Planet, and Progress.” The report urges leaders attending the summit to adopt enforceable regulations across the AI lifecycle, ban the use of AI for mass surveillance and predictive policing, require independent oversight of public-sector AI systems, and include affected communities in governance discussions. Furthermore, it calls for moving beyond voluntary commitments by technology companies toward stronger regulatory measures.
