India advocates for sovereign AI development at UNGA

At the United Nations General Assembly, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar advocated for the right of every nation to develop its own Artificial Intelligence (AI) models tailored to its specific national priorities and needs. He emphasized that while AI is a ‘game-changing force’ for economic prosperity and empowerment, its misuse can exacerbate bias and undermine mutual respect between nations.

This stance aligns with concerns raised by other nations regarding the concentration of AI control within a few powerful countries or large corporations. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Haji Hasan warned that the Global South should not be relegated to merely hosting data centers and technology infrastructure while major decisions and control remain elsewhere. He argued that developing nations must be equal partners in technology creation rather than just consumers and markets.

In a separate session co-chaired with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, Jaishankar also discussed the intersection of AI and maritime security. He noted that AI can enhance maritime domain awareness, search and rescue, and infrastructure protection, but warned that increased autonomy in maritime systems raises critical questions regarding accountability, responsibility, and the potential for heightened tensions.