‘MANAV Is India’s AI Model for the World’: PM Modi Unveils India’s Human-Centric & Accountable AI Doctrine At AI Impact Summit

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid out an ambitious, human-centric roadmap for artificial intelligence at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in the national capital, declaring that India is “not just a part of the AI revolution, but leading and shaping it”.

Addressing what he described as “the world’s biggest and most historic AI summit”, PM Modi introduced the ‘MANAV’ framework, a governance philosophy aimed at ensuring that AI remains anchored in human values, oversight and sovereignty.

According to PM Modi, MANAV, which means "human" in Hindi, stands for:

• M (Moral and Ethical Systems): AI should be based on ethical guidance.
• A  (Accountable Governance): AI requires transparent rules and robust oversight.
• N (National Sovereignty): Emphasising data rights and digital self-reliance (whose data, his right).
• A  (Accessible and Inclusive): AI should be a tool for everyone, functioning as a "multiplier, not a monopoly".
• V (Valid and Legitimate): AI systems must be lawful and verifiable.

‘A Turning Point For Humanity’

Calling AI a “civilisational inflection point”, the Prime Minister compared its transformative potential to the discovery of fire, the invention of the wheel and the advent of wireless communication.

“AI marks a turning point for humanity. We are yet to judge the true scale of its impact,” he said, adding that while every new technology creates doubts in the beginning, AI’s acceptability, ownership and usage are unprecedented in speed and scale.

“Earlier technologies took decades to seep into society. This time, the speed and scale are unmatched. We need big vision and big responsibility to deal with this AI moment,” he asserted.

Highlighting India’s position, PM Modi said the nation, representing one-sixth of humanity, was proud to host the summit, with the “who’s who” of the global AI ecosystem in attendance. He added that youth participation at the event reflected growing confidence in India’s AI future.

The ‘MANAV’ Framework: Human-Centric AI

At the heart of his address was the MANAV vision, positioning AI as a tool to augment human capability, not replace it. “AI should be human-centric, not machine-centric. AI should not reduce humans to raw material,” he said, underlining the need for human oversight and accountability in AI systems.

In a live demonstration of AI’s capabilities, the Prime Minister’s speech was telecast in multiple Indian languages using AI-powered real-time translation, with AI-enabled sign language interpretation displayed in the backdrop, underscoring his call for inclusive technology.

He stressed that humans must be able to “co-work, co-create and co-evolve” with AI, and called for reskilling to become a mass movement to build an AI-compatible jobs ecosystem.

Regulation, Data Sovereignty & Global Commons

In a strong pitch for regulation and national sovereignty, PM Modi said the direction of technology must remain in human control.

“Those who own data should own its usage,” he said, advocating data sovereignty and warning against AI hegemony.

Without naming specific countries, he cautioned that some nations and companies were being secretive about AI development and treating it as a strategic asset. India’s model, he said, would be different.

“India believes in democratisation of AI. AI development codes should be open source. Our model is to share AI development with the world and turn AI into a global common good,” he said.

Backing global efforts for ethical AI, he called for watermarking and authentication of AI-generated content to combat deepfakes and misinformation. He also supported child-safety features in AI systems, echoing global concerns about responsible innovation.

‘Design & Develop In India, Deliver To The World’

PM Modi framed India as an affordable, scalable and secure AI destination, citing the country’s energy, talent pool and policy clarity.

“India has diversity, demography and democracy. If an AI model succeeds in India, it can be deployed across the world,” he said.

He urged global companies to “design and develop in India, deliver to the world,” positioning Indian-built AI solutions as globally deployable public goods.

“Some people see a threat in AI. Some see an opportunity. India sees its destiny and future in AI,” the Prime Minister said, signalling India’s intent to shape not just the technology, but the global rules governing it.

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