India plays an important role in the global AI revolution. The country ranks among the global leaders in AI implementation, investments, and innovation. Here’s how India has achieved this prominent position and what its AI strategy has in store for the future.
AI in India: Overview
India is one of the few dozens of countries on the global map which have developed a national strategy on artificial intelligence (AI) to balance innovation and security. Its strategy presupposes incubating AI projects that can be applicable to the rest of the developing world, investing in AI research and specific sectors that can maximise the country’s economic growth and social impact, and trying to tackle some of the global challenges from AI’s perspective.
According to numerous global ratings, India ranks 6th in terms of technological progress and investments in artificial intelligence, 5th in generative AI (GenAI) innovation patents, first in adoption of Generative AI technology across Asia Pacific, and first in AI skill penetration and talent concentration among all OECD and G20 countries.
When other factors such as data consumption, governance and usage, etc. are taken into account, India shows a lower score on the scale of global AI leadership. Thus, India ranks 15th among the top 25 Artificial Intelligence nations, according to the study by Tufts University’s business school, the Fletcher School. At the same time, the researchers identify the country as the one possessing ‘the greatest upward potential.’
Unique AI Applications in India
As a home to about 6,700 AI startups, India has undoubtedly seen some original applications to this nascent technology.
For example, last year, the Indian Meteorological Department experimented with AI climate forecasting models to make extreme weather condition forecasts more accurate with higher-quality and less expensive weather data. Those predictions are believed to be particularly helpful for predicting severe weather changes like floods and droughts and already help alert the public about extreme weather like heat waves or disease outbreaks like malaria. Thus, local officials planned to expand the number of AI-enabled weather observatories across Indian villages to receive higher-resolution forecasting data.
At the same time, Microsoft launched its generative AI chatbot Jugalbandi, developed in partnership with the open-source initiative OpenNyAI, and AI4Bharat, backed by the Indian government, to help citizens of remote villages in India access government assistance, even without speaking English or Hindi. The AI chatbot understands questions in multiple languages, both spoken and typed. Then the program retrieves information on relevant programs, translates it from English or Hindi, and relays it back into the preferred local language. The service eliminates the barriers still hindering information access in India.
AI Applications in Agriculture
Having an advanced agriculture sector, India hosts a few innovative AI startups and projects that facilitate crop cultivation and cattle farming.
SatSure
This Indian startup uses satellite imagery and AI to provide insights into crop health, yield predictions, and disaster management. Besides agricultural applications, SatSure solutions assist businesses in the fields of infrastructure, transportation, banking and financial services, and all the businesses dedicated to their sustainability goals.
MooFarm
MooFarm’s AI-powered mobile app sends real-time alerts to farmers to track and monitor each cattle’s health, breeding cycle, productivity, profit and loss and dairy herd performance. It also allows farmers to track their revenue and expenses, access important information such as loans, schemes, latest news and subsidies for farming, as well as directly access credit and cattle insurance services. The app also offers smart e-learning solutions, rewards farmers for providing critical data using a digital wallet (MooCoins) and allows farmer interactions with expert veterinarians and other farmers using a community platform.
AI4AI Initiative (Saagu Baagu)
The government initiative that transformed chilli farming in the Khammam district of Telangana, India, was leveraging the power of new technologies including AI, drones and blockchain to enhance agricultural efficiency. In particular, the project was using AI bot advisory services, soil testing technology, AI-based quality testing and a digital platform to connect buyers and sellers. The combination of innovations helped farmers see a remarkable double surge in net income, and a 21% increase in chilli yield production per acre. Besides, pesticide use fell by 9% and fertilisers dropped by 5%, while quality improvements boosted unit prices by 8%. Inspired by the initial success, the Government of Telangana is scaling the project up for Saagu Baagu 2.0 this year.
India Actively Improves Healthcare With AI
Today, artificial intelligence has found numerous applications in healthcare. From healthcare financing to diagnostics, research and health informatics, AI has been revolutionising the sector for quite a while. Here’s what India has to add to the suite of AI-enabled healthcare solutions.
Niramai
This Bangalore-based deep-tech company has developed an AI-based medical device able to detect breast cancer at much earlier stages than traditional methods or self-examination. The tool uses thermal imaging and a cloud-hosted analytics for early detection of breast cancer, making screenings more accessible and less invasive. This unique solution is available in 30 cities in India across 200+ Hospitals and Diagnostic Centers, as well as in the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Sweden, Turkey, and the Philippines.
Qure.ai
The startup develops AI solutions to interpret radiology images, providing faster and more accurate diagnostics for diseases like tuberculosis and brain injuries. Along with India Health Fund (IHF), Qure.ai has deployed qXR tool for TB screening across 139 health facilities in India since February 2020. AI screening has already helped identify 30-40% more incidental cases that would have been left undiagnosed with traditional screening methods in India. The firm’s AI-powered chest X-ray analysis enables the incidental detection of high-risk nodules that can be indicative of lung cancer which is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.
HealthifyMe
The startup created a digital health and wellness platform. It employs Ria, an AI-powered virtual assistant that answers user questions about fitness, nutrition, and health in ten different languages. The virtual coach is able to compile personalised diet plans, workout routines, and provide continuous health monitoring. The app has the largest database of 10,000+ Indian foods to provide accurate macronutrient intake data and help Indian users develop healthy nutrition habits with local dishes. The startup’s advanced health-tech such as Smart Scale measures 12+ body metrics like body fat% and muscle mass. You can even receive real-time insights into your blood glucose levels with CGM tool, which is an important indicator coaches need to create your customised diet and workout plan.
What Is India’s AI Vision for the Future?
As we can see, the Indian tech landscape is abundant with unique and highly-efficient AI solutions. However, the country is only at the beginning of its progress in AI development and research. In the future, Indian authorities plan to expand AI use for more practical cases.
For example, in 2022, the government published a list of 75 priority projects related to using AI for defence. They focused on data processing and analysis, cyber security, simulation and autonomous systems, particularly drones. Other areas of potential AI applications in India are underwater domain awareness and border security.
The Indian government’s initiatives like Digital India, Make in India, and Smart Cities Mission are driving AI adoption across sectors. They presuppose leveraging AI, IoT, and blockchain for better governance and service delivery, enhancing manufacturing capabilities, and addressing urban challenges associated with India’s rapid population growth.
As part of the mission to make Indian cities “smart”, intelligent traffic management systems that leverage AI are already deployed in certain locations. Such solutions may detect various traffic violations such as red-light jumping, speeding, no helmet riding, triple riding, wrong lane movement, and more in real-time 24/7. The new traffic systems also use real-time data to analyse the traffic situation and synchronise the traffic signals at junctions.
With the latest IoT innovations, Ahmedabad got its public transportation system upgraded and optimised by data-driven analysis of bus travel performance and traffic volume. Delhi and Mumbai are also currently integrating the elements of ITMS to enhance traffic efficiency and decrease the number of fatal road accidents. If proven efficient, such systems will be deployed in other urban centres of India as well.
India plans to apply AI in priority sectors such as education, transportation, manufacturing, finance, retail, public safety, agriculture and healthcare. Indian research institutions and academic organisations like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) are also actively engaged in AI research and development, contributing to the global AI knowledge base. The country aims to promote interdisciplinary research in AI to solve complex public and economic problems.
