THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 8, 2026

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday launched the World Bank Group’s World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence, calling for wider democratisation of technology to ensure its benefits reach citizens, enterprises and institutions across the country.

The report, launched at an event organised jointly by the IndiaAI Mission, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the World Bank Group in New Delhi, examines the opportunities and challenges AI presents for developing economies and outlines a framework centred on adoption, adaptation and advancement.

 “AI is changing the lives of ordinary people,” Vaishnaw said, citing an initiative in Baramati where sugarcane yields rose 40 per cent with 30 per cent less water and fertiliser through voice-based technology. He also highlighted a 35 per cent increase in TB detection through AI-enabled healthcare applications.

The minister said the Baramati initiative uses satellite, IoT and weather data and has also reduced labour costs. In Gujarat, AgriStack is being used by five lakh farmers, while AI-based animal health services through Sarlaben are benefiting three crore cattle and their farmers.

The World Bank report notes that AI can expand access to expertise, improve productivity and strengthen service delivery in developing economies. However, it stresses that such gains depend on foundations including reliable electricity and connectivity, computing infrastructure, quality data, skills, education systems and capable institutions.

India is developing its AI ecosystem through the IndiaAI Mission’s seven pillars, covering compute capacity, indigenous foundation models, datasets, application development, future skills, startup financing and safe and trusted AI.

World Bank Group Chief Economist Michael Kremer said India’s progress in AI offers lessons for the wider developing world. He highlighted AI-based weather advisories and education solutions, stressing that successful scale-up requires a “full stack” approach involving not just software but also human and institutional capabilities.

The report’s Director, Gaurav Nayyar, said developing countries should be “optimistic, strategic and pragmatic” about AI, focusing on adapting existing tools to local needs rather than spending heavily on building advanced systems from scratch.

A high-level panel subsequently discussed AI adoption, local adaptation and risk management, with participants emphasising the need to move beyond isolated pilots towards evidence-based scale-up, while improving access to data and computing infrastructure.

A State AI Showcase also featured solutions from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya and other parts of India, demonstrating applications in child development screening, agriculture, education and healthcare.

The deliberations underscored the importance of public trust and ensuring AI develops in a safe, responsible and inclusive manner, while strengthening institutional and policy frameworks needed to translate technological advances into broad-based development outcomes.