New Delhi: Several top innovators and startup founders in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday to discuss India’s AI roadmap, ethical innovation, and the country’s emerging role in global AI development. Following the meeting, industry leaders praised Modi’s deep understanding of technology, his grasp of India’s unique challenges, and his emphasis on building AI solutions rooted in Indian languages and data.
Pratyush Kumar, co-founder of Sarvam AI, said the Prime Minister’s perspective was technically inspiring. “India has vast diversity and many languages, yet there is unity. The Prime Minister highlighted how AI can reinforce that unity, which was motivating for us,” Kumar said. Nikhil Malhotra, Chief Information Officer at Tech Mahindra, recalled Modi’s analogy at an earlier summit in France about painting with the non-dominant hand, noting it reflected his nuanced understanding of AI challenges and ethical application.
Siddharth Panwar, CEO of NEURODX, said the discussion reinforced the need to focus on India-specific solutions rather than replicating Western models. Parth Sarthi, research engineer at GAN.AI, credited the Prime Minister’s vision for his decision to return to India, citing the availability of resources, funding, and an ecosystem capable of supporting world-class AI development. Arastu Sharma, CEO of SHODH AI, remarked that such opportunities in India were unthinkable a decade ago, highlighting the growth of deep-tech prospects.
Other industry leaders emphasized ethics, authenticity, and global competitiveness. Ayush Gupta of Genloop stressed that AI in India must remain ethical and genuine, while Ganesh Gopalan, co-founder of GNANI AI, was impressed by Modi’s detailed understanding of technical challenges and practical solutions. Srikanth Velamakanni of Fractal AI noted the focus on using domestic data and creating models that serve every citizen in their native language.
Sravanth Aluru, CEO of Avataar AI, highlighted the clarity of purpose given to industry players, while Hrishikesh Bal of Bharatgen appreciated the Prime Minister’s broader vision for AI in science, innovation, and transformative applications. Echoing these sentiments, Sashikumaar Ganesan of Zenteiq and Abhishek Upperwal of Soket AI underlined the importance of reaching grassroots levels, ensuring AI impacts everyday New Delhi:lives across India.
The meeting left the AI community motivated, with a renewed focus on innovation, collaboration, and developing India as a global leader in ethical and homegrown AI solutions.
