India wants to turn data into a national resource for AI
India's latest Economic Survey, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, says the country should treat data as a national asset to power homegrown AI innovation.
The big idea: use data not just for tech progress, but as an economic strategy that ensures the value created from Indian data benefits Indians first.
Why does it matter?
The plan could open up secure, anonymized data through "national data trusts," letting companies build smarter AI while protecting privacy.
There's talk of a "data-use dividend," meaning firms would give back—either with money or tech—to help grow India's AI scene.
Real-life uses? Think predicting diseases using health records or boosting crop yields with farm data.
With over 16 billion verified documents in Aadhaar and DigiLocker sitting untapped, this move could put India on the map for responsible and ethical AI that actually works for its people.