Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday emphasized the urgent need for India to take a leading role in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution, cautioning that the nation risks being left behind as global advancements accelerate. In his speech during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha declared, “Ye samay AI ka hai!” (This is the era of AI), urging the government to act swiftly to ensure India does not lag in the race for AI development.
Chadha highlighted the advancements of other countries, pointing to the United States, which has developed AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok, and China, with DeepSeek and Baidu, stressing that these countries are far ahead due to early investments. He posed a critical question to the House: “Will India be a consumer of AI or a creator of AI?”
He underscored the stark contrast in AI investments, revealing that the US has committed over 500 billion dollars to AI, China more than 137 billion dollars, while India’s AI mission stands at just one billion. Additionally, he noted that from 2010 to 2022, the US filed 60% of the world’s AI patents, China 20%, and India a mere 0.5%.
Despite these figures, Chadha praised India’s significant contribution to the global AI workforce, with the country supplying 15% of AI talent and holding the third-highest AI skill penetration in the world. However, he warned that without timely intervention, India risks losing its edge in AI development.
Chadha advocated for an expansion of the “Make in India” initiative to include AI, with a call for the development of indigenous AI chips, high-performance computing infrastructure, and the creation of sovereign AI models. He emphasized the importance of national security, data protection, and economic independence by reducing reliance on foreign AI models.
Offering specific suggestions, Chadha proposed the government incentivize chip manufacturing, establish dedicated AI computing systems across the country, and provide generous research grants to Indian institutions and AI startups. He also called for the swift announcement of a clear, time-bound National AI Strategy with robust funding and infrastructure support.
Chadha concluded by stressing that “140 crore Indians are asking—will we remain AI consumers or become AI producers?” He urged the government to take immediate action, stating, “The time for policy papers is over. The time for action is now.”