Founding Fuel NatStrat Live | India’s AI Gambit | Leader or Follower?

India’s AI Gambit: Should India shape—and not just follow—the global rules of AI governance?

A high-level dialogue brought to you by Founding Fuel & NatStrat.

As the US and China battle for dominance in AI, quantum, and neuromorphic computing, a new global order is taking shape. India’s contributions so far have focused on digital public infrastructure (DPI), ethics, and inclusion. But the deeper question remains: Can—and should—India influence how the frontier of AI is governed?

Panel:
Ambassador Pankaj Saran Former Deputy National Security Advisor and Convenor, NatStrat
Dr Sundeep Waslekar President, Strategic Foresight Group; author of A World Without War and global thought leader on conflict resolution and foresight
Ambassador Smita Purushottam Convenor, SITARA; former Indian envoy to Switzerland and Venezuela
Srikanth Velamakanni Group CEO, Executive Vice Chairman & Co-founder, Fractal Analytics and vice chairman, Nasscom
Chair: Prof Rishikesha Krishnan Director, IIM Bangalore; expert on strategy, innovation and technology policy

Key themes discussed:
🧭 Why the global AI race is no longer just about technology — but about strategic power and sovereignty
🌏 How the US and China are shaping the future with billions in investments, while building distinct AI ecosystems
🧩 India’s current approach: focused heavily on applications and social good, but lacking in ambition, strategic foresight, and national security alignment
⚠️ The dangers of becoming a “digital colony” due to over-dependence on foreign cloud and compute infrastructure
🛡️ The urgent need for India to develop its own sovereign compute stack, protect its data ecosystems, and invest in foundational AI models
🚨 Risks from advanced AI models — including weaponization and loss of control — and how countries like the UAE, South Korea, and Brazil are addressing them through forward-looking regulation
🏛️ Why India needs a mission-level response, led from the highest levels of government — not just isolated ministry-driven programs

This conversation is a wake-up call to rethink India’s AI posture—not just for innovation and inclusion, but for strategic autonomy and long-term national interest.

👉 Watch to understand what's at stake, what India must do, and why time is running out.

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