New Delhi, October 2026 : The government is preparing to release a consultation paper on artificial intelligence (AI) regulations within a month, with a strong focus on AI safety, tackling deepfakes and ensuring that technological advances do not cause unintended harm to society, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday.
Speaking at an event, Vaishnaw said the proposed consultation paper would focus primarily on safety-related aspects of AI use and seek inputs from various stakeholders before the government moves towards a regulatory framework.
“I will request the department to come out with a regulation-focused consultation paper, which focuses on safety. That's the most important point — safety related to AI use,” the minister said.
Vaishnaw highlighted the growing threat posed by deepfakes, saying manipulated audio-visual content could create serious problems by misleading people and spreading false narratives.
“People believe them, and it sets a totally wrong precedent. It sets out a totally wrong narrative, and people get lured into doing wrong things and believing wrong things,” he said.
The minister said the consultation would also examine skilling and inclusivity, with the objective of ensuring that no section of society is left behind as AI adoption expands.
He stressed that the impact of AI on people must remain at the centre of India’s regulatory approach. According to Vaishnaw, legislation alone would not be sufficient to address the risks associated with rapidly evolving AI technologies.
“We have to bring a techno-legal solution,” he said, emphasising the need to combine technological safeguards with appropriate regulations.
Vaishnaw also called for wider participation from industry and other stakeholders in developing safeguards. He said the technology industry would have to take primary responsibility for addressing risks associated with AI, particularly amid the growing threat of cyberattacks and deepfakes.
The proposed consultation comes against the backdrop of the government’s broader efforts to establish a framework for responsible AI development and deployment.
India’s AI Governance Guidelines, released earlier this year, outlined a principle-based approach centred on trust, people-first governance and responsible innovation. The framework identified misinformation, deepfakes, algorithmic bias and unintended societal harm as key risks requiring safeguards.
The guidelines also recommended reviewing existing laws to identify regulatory gaps arising from AI technologies. Areas highlighted include liability, data protection, copyright, content authentication and potential misuse of generative AI.
The government has also proposed institutional mechanisms for AI governance, including an AI Governance Group, a Technology and Policy Expert Committee and an AI Safety Institute.
Separately, initiatives under the Safe & Trusted AI pillar of the IndiaAI Mission are being pursued to address emerging risks. These include projects focused on deepfake detection, privacy-preserving AI, mitigation of algorithmic bias and AI risk assessment.
The upcoming consultation paper is expected to provide an opportunity for industry, technology experts, civil society and other stakeholders to contribute to the development of India’s AI regulatory approach.
Vaishnaw’s remarks indicate that the government is seeking to balance AI innovation with safety, accountability and protection against misuse, while ensuring that the benefits of the technology remain accessible across society.
