The Government of India is signaling a shift toward a dedicated regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, moving away from its previous light-touch approach. S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), stated on July 3, 2026, that while existing legal provisions have handled initial challenges effectively, additional regulation or law may now be required. This development follows consistent remarks from IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who previously argued that regulation should only be introduced when strictly necessary.

Krishnan noted that the government has historically utilized the IT Act, 2000, and current IT rules to manage concerns such as deepfakes and misinformation. However, officials now acknowledge that the generative AI era presents distinct challenges that differ significantly from the period when existing laws were enacted. While specific timelines for draft legislation remain unconfirmed, the ministry is beginning to evaluate the necessity of a separate, AI-specific legal framework to address synthetic content and public safety.

India has already implemented stricter oversight measures to mitigate AI-related risks. In February, the government mandated that online platforms must remove flagged AI-generated or synthetic content within 3 hours. Furthermore, MeitY recently amended the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to formally categorize synthetically generated information. Additionally, the India AI Governance Guidelines, released during the 2026 AI Impact Summit, introduced a governance framework based on seven "Sutras," proposing the establishment of an AI Safety Institute and an AI Governance Group to oversee responsible AI deployment.

The Government of India is signaling a shift toward a dedicated regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, moving away from its previous light-touch approach. S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), stated on July 3, 2026, that while existing legal provisions have handled initial challenges effectively, additional regulation or law may now be required. This development follows consistent remarks from IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who previously argued that regulation should only be introduced when strictly necessary.

Krishnan noted that the government has historically utilized the IT Act, 2000, and current IT rules to manage concerns such as deepfakes and misinformation. However, officials now acknowledge that the generative AI era presents distinct challenges that differ significantly from the period when existing laws were enacted. While specific timelines for draft legislation remain unconfirmed, the ministry is beginning to evaluate the necessity of a separate, AI-specific legal framework to address synthetic content and public safety.

India has already implemented stricter oversight measures to mitigate AI-related risks. In February, the government mandated that online platforms must remove flagged AI-generated or synthetic content within 3 hours. Furthermore, MeitY recently amended the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to formally categorize synthetically generated information. Additionally, the India AI Governance Guidelines, released during the 2026 AI Impact Summit, introduced a governance framework based on seven "Sutras," proposing the establishment of an AI Safety Institute and an AI Governance Group to oversee responsible AI deployment.