MoS External Affairs to lead Indian delegation at UN Dialogue on AI governance
The Minister of State for External Affairs led the Indian delegation at the inaugural session of the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, held in Geneva on July 6–7, 2026.
The Global Dialogue was established under UN General Assembly Resolution 79/325 (adopted 26 August 2025) and flows from the Global Digital Compact agreed at the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024.
The dialogue functions as a universal, multi-stakeholder forum bringing together more than 100 countries — particularly those from the Global South and Least Developed Countries — on equal footing to shape global AI governance norms.
It operates alongside the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, a 40-member body that provides evidence-based scientific assessments on AI's opportunities, risks, and impacts.
India participated in stakeholder consultations in the run-up, including an in-person consultation held on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February 2026; a second Dialogue session is scheduled for May 2027 in New York.
Global Digital Compact (GDC)
The Global Digital Compact is the first universal agreement on international AI governance, adopted on 22 September 2024 as an annex to the Pact for the Future at the UN Summit of the Future. It is non-binding but represents a landmark multilateral consensus on harnessing digital technologies responsibly. The GDC commits member states to shared norms on AI safety, digital inclusion, data governance, and bridging the digital divide, with a particular focus on ensuring that developing countries benefit from AI rather than being left behind.
Key Details
- Adopted without a vote at the UN Summit of the Future, September 22, 2024.
- Annexed to the "Pact for the Future" — the broader reform agenda of the Summit.
- Creates two new institutional mechanisms: the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance.
- Non-binding in legal character but represents the first universal multilateral consensus on AI governance.
The Dialogue convened in Geneva is the direct institutional output of the GDC's AI governance framework; India's participation signals its intent to shape global AI norms from the ground floor.
UN General Assembly Resolution 79/325 and the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI
UNGA Resolution 79/325, adopted on 26 August 2025, formally operationalised the institutional mechanisms envisaged under the Global Digital Compact. It established the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI — described as the first global scientific body dedicated entirely to artificial intelligence — and set out the terms of reference for the Global Dialogue. The 40-member Panel was formally constituted in February 2026 and is tasked with producing annual, evidence-based, policy-relevant (but non-prescriptive) assessments on AI for presentation to each Dialogue session.
Key Details
- Resolution number: A/RES/79/325, adopted 26 August 2025.
- Panel has 40 members; Co-Chairs elected at inaugural meeting (3 March 2026): Yoshua Bengio and Maria Ressa.
- Panel's mandate: annual scientific report on AI opportunities, risks, and impacts — non-prescriptive, policy-relevant.
- Global Dialogue co-chairs for the 2026 session: El Salvador and Estonia (appointed by UNGA President).
- Two sessions planned: July 2026 in Geneva; May 2027 in New York.
The Dialogue that India attended is the first session of this newly established architecture; its outcomes will shape global norms on AI safety and governance, including any future binding treaty negotiations.
India's Approach to AI Governance and Digital Diplomacy
India has positioned itself as an advocate for "AI for Good" and for ensuring that developing nations are not marginalised in the governance of transformative technologies. Domestically, India has advanced AI policy through the National Strategy for AI (NITI Aayog, 2018), the IndiaAI Mission (2024), and its G20 Presidency (2023), during which it championed the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration's principles on trustworthy AI. India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model — featuring Aadhaar, UPI, and ONDC — is increasingly presented internationally as a development-compatible template for AI and digital governance.
Key Details
- NITI Aayog released India's National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in 2018.
- IndiaAI Mission approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2024 with an outlay of ₹10,371.92 crore over five years.
- India's G20 Presidency (2023) produced the New Delhi Declaration endorsing principles of responsible, inclusive, and human-centric AI.
- India's DPI stack is promoted as a model for sovereign, inclusive, and development-compatible digital governance.
- India advocates for the UN Multistakeholder Forum model to include Global South voices in AI standard-setting.
Participation in the Geneva Dialogue is a direct extension of India's consistent multilateral posture — shaping global AI governance norms while advocating capacity-building for developing countries.
- UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance: inaugural session, Geneva, July 6–7, 2026.
- Created under: UNGA Resolution 79/325 (26 August 2025), following the Global Digital Compact (22 September 2024).
- Global Digital Compact adopted at: UN Summit of the Future, as an annex to the Pact for the Future.
- Independent International Scientific Panel on AI: 40 members; Co-Chairs — Yoshua Bengio and Maria Ressa (from 3 March 2026).
- More than 100 countries participate in the Global Dialogue, with emphasis on Global South and LDC inclusion.
- Second Dialogue session scheduled: May 2027, New York.
- India's IndiaAI Mission outlay: ₹10,371.92 crore over five years (approved March 2024).
- Pre-Dialogue India consultation: AI Impact Summit, New Delhi, February 2026.