Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, launched three major publications under the AI for India 2030 initiative, aimed at accelerating responsible AI adoption across the country. The launch marks a crucial step in integrating artificial intelligence into India's grassroots economy.
The launch took place in the presence of S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY); S.C.L. Das, Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME); Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of the PSA (OPSA); and Anindya Banerjee, Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture.
The publications include “Future Farming in India: AI Playbook for Agriculture”, “Transforming Small Businesses: An AI Playbook for India’s SMEs”, and “Shaping the AI Sandbox Ecosystem for the Intelligent Age: White Paper”. Developed under the guidance of OPSA and MeitY, the initiative draws on inputs from government, industry, startups, academic institutions, and farmer organisations to provide practical frameworks for deploying AI solutions in key sectors.
Speaking at the launch, Prof. Sood said, “These playbooks provide clear strategies to make AI inclusive and impactful, ensuring that technological advancements translate into real benefits for farmers, entrepreneurs, and communities nationwide. Collective implementation of these actionable roadmaps will drive wider AI adoption across India.”
The Future Farming in India playbook introduces the IMPACT AI framework, which enables governments to create policy, industry to develop AI solutions through sandboxes, and front-line workers to deliver tools directly to farmers. The playbook focuses on boosting yields, managing risks, and improving market access, leveraging local networks and regional languages for seamless integration into daily farming practices.
Similarly, the Transforming Small Businesses playbook outlines how AI can help SMEs overcome productivity, credit, and market challenges. It guides businesses from awareness to action through experience centers, sandboxes, AI marketplaces, and financing solutions, celebrating early adopters to encourage wider adoption.
Krishnan emphasized, “AI can unlock new efficiencies, better decision-making, and greater prosperity for every farmer,” while Das noted the strategic importance of AI adoption in MSMEs. Dr. Maini highlighted the role of OPSA’s S&T clusters in supporting capacity building and knowledge sharing, and Banerjee pointed to AI applications like digital crop surveys for improved agricultural insights.
The AI Sandbox White Paper provides operational frameworks for testing and scaling AI solutions securely and reliably. Going forward, coordinated action between state governments, industry, and technology providers will translate the playbooks into funded projects, with progress tracked through sector-specific indicators and a dedicated knowledge platform to share best practices nationwide.
