India has emerged as an unlikely mediator in the global AI governance debate, proposing a regulatory framework that seeks to balance the innovation-first approach favoured by the United States with the more restrictive model pursued by the European Union and advocated by China.

Speaking at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi, Indian IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined a “graduated regulation” model that would impose stricter oversight on high-risk AI applications — such as facial recognition and autonomous weapons — while maintaining a lighter touch for research and commercial applications.

“India believes that AI governance should be proportionate, flexible, and inclusive of Global South perspectives,” Vaishnaw said. “We cannot afford a regulatory framework designed exclusively by and for wealthy nations.”

The proposal received cautious support from African and Latin American delegations, who have expressed frustration at being marginalized in AI governance discussions dominated by the US, EU, and China.

Whether India’s middle path gains traction will depend largely on its ability to build a coalition of like-minded nations and demonstrate that graduated regulation can work in practice.