M.A.N.A.V Vision for AI

M.A.N.A.V. Vision for AI is India’s Human-Centric Framework, presenting a roadmap where technological advancement progresses in harmony with societal values. The focus being- Moral and Ethical Systems, Accountable Governance, National Sovereignty, Accessible and Inclusive AI, and Valid and Legitimate Systems. Read here to learn more.

At the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, the Prime Minister articulated the M.A.N.A.V. vision, a human-centric AI governance framework rooted in ethics, inclusivity, accountability, and sovereignty.

India positions AI not merely as an autonomous technological force, but as an extension of human aspirations aligned with constitutional values and national development priorities.

What is M.A.N.A.V.?

M.A.N.A.V. is an acronym representing five foundational pillars:

M: Moral and Ethical Systems

• AI must be guided by ethical design.
• Alignment with democratic and constitutional principles.
• Integration of AI literacy under the National Education Policy.

A: Accountable Governance

• Transparent oversight mechanisms.
• Institutionalised governance through the IndiaAI Mission (₹10,300+ crore outlay).
• AI Governance Guidelines, 2025, for regulatory clarity.

N: National Sovereignty

• Data sovereignty: Data belongs to its generators.
• Strategic autonomy in chips, cloud, and compute.
• India joined the Pax Silica Initiative to secure resilient semiconductor supply chains.

A: Accessible and Inclusive

• Democratisation of AI resources via:
  • Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
  • MeghRaj GI Cloud
  • IndiaAI Compute Portal
  • National Supercomputing Mission
• Ensuring Global South participation in AI development.

V: Valid and Legitimate Systems

• Legal compliance and trust.
• Regulation of deepfakes under IT Amendment Rules, 2026.
• Safe & Trusted AI pillar under IndiaAI Mission (bias audits, privacy-preserving systems).

How India is Operationalising M.A.N.A.V.

1. Institutional Ecosystem

• IndiaAI Mission: Compute, data, skilling, innovation.
• IndiaAI Kosh (datasets repository).
• AI Data Labs Network.

2. Digital Infrastructure Backbone

• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
• National Digital Public Infrastructure stack.
• Semiconductor and compute self-reliance initiatives.

3. Public Participation

• Guinness World Record (250,000+ pledges) for a responsible AI campaign.

Pax Silica Initiative: Strategic Context

Launched in December 2025, Pax Silica aims to:

• Reduce coercive dependencies in semiconductor supply chains.
• Promote trusted technology ecosystems.
• Counter China’s dominance in critical minerals and AI infrastructure.

Member nations include Japan, Australia, the UK, the UAE, and South Korea, among others.

Evolution of Global AI Governance

Future:

• Geneva 2027 (AI law focus)
• UAE 2028 summit

India’s Strategic Position

India treats AI as:

• A strategic national asset
• A global common good
• A tool for inclusive development

It rejects alarmist narratives and promotes:

• Democratic AI governance
• Global South leadership
• Technology sovereignty with collaboration

Related Development: New Delhi Frontier AI Impact Commitments

Launched at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 by the Minister for Electronics and IT.

A voluntary framework by frontier AI companies and domestic innovators to advance:

• Inclusive AI development
• Responsible deployment
• Democratized access, especially for the Global South

Two Key Commitments:

1. Advancing Understanding of Real-World AI Usage

• Data-driven analysis of AI’s impact on:
  • Jobs and skills
  • Productivity
  • Economic transformation
• Helps governments design informed AI policies.

2. Strengthening Multilingual and Contextual Evaluations

• Ensures AI systems work effectively across:
  • Multiple languages
  • Diverse cultures
  • Real-world contexts
• Focus on underrepresented languages and local datasets.
• Collaboration between governments, companies, and research institutions.

Significance for India

• Positions India as a leader of Global South AI governance.
• Moves global AI discourse from fear-driven narratives to “People, Planet, Progress”.
• Balances innovation, sovereignty, and inclusivity.
• Strengthens India’s digital public infrastructure model globally.

Conclusion

Through M.A.N.A.V., India is shaping a balanced global AI discourse that integrates ethics, sovereignty, inclusivity, and innovation, ensuring AI becomes a transformative public good rather than an unchecked technological force.

Practice Questions (Prelims)

Q1. With reference to the M.A.N.A.V. Framework announced at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, consider the following statements:

1. It promotes a human-centric approach to Artificial Intelligence.
2. It treats AI as an entirely autonomous technological force independent of human oversight.
3. It emphasizes national sovereignty over data and digital infrastructure.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
   B. 1 and 3 only
   C. 2 and 3 only
   D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Which of the following initiatives is directly aimed at strengthening India’s semiconductor and AI hardware ecosystem?

1. India Semiconductor Mission
   B. National Education Policy
   C. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
   D. Digital India Programme

Q3. Which of the following best describes India’s AI governance approach under the M.A.N.A.V. Framework?

1. Strict precautionary ban on advanced AI models
   B. Market-driven AI without state oversight
   C. Human-centric, accountable and sovereign AI development
   D. Fully decentralised AI governance without legal regulation