External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday, 26 September 2026, told the UN General Assembly in New York that every country must retain the freedom to develop and deploy artificial intelligence systems in line with its own national priorities — a pointed argument for technological sovereignty at a moment of deepening great-power competition over AI governance.

India's Core Position on AI Sovereignty

'We believe in the right of each nation to shape its ecosystem,' Jaishankar said, framing AI development as inseparable from national self-determination. He described artificial intelligence as a force capable of empowering citizens, accelerating economic growth, and solving complex problems at scale — but warned that its misuse could 'sharpen bias and weaken mutual respect.'

Jaishankar noted that India hosted an AI Impact Summit in February and intends to embed AI cooperation into its partnerships with the Global South. His remarks signal that New Delhi views AI not merely as a domestic technology agenda but as a geopolitical instrument for south-south engagement.

The Multipolar World Argument

'We are now well on our way towards a multipolar world,' Jaishankar told the assembly. 'The post-1945 order is giving way to new realities.' He linked present-day global turbulence to the difficulty of accommodating a more diverse international order — one in which emerging economies demand a larger say in decisions that shape global norms, including on technology.

He argued that peace in such a world depends on civil discussion, broad consultation, and transparent decision-making. 'Large sections of humanity cannot be excluded from that process,' he said. His remarks connected India's AI stance directly to its long-standing push for UN Security Council reform, where New Delhi has sought a permanent seat since the council's composition was fixed after World War II.

Culture, Heritage and Global Decision-Making

Jaishankar also called on nations to give greater weight to one another's cultures, heritage, and traditions as economic and political power shifts globally. He argued that cultural change must follow economic and political change — not lag behind it. He thanked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his work, specifically highlighting Guterres's support for India's Mission LiFE initiative on sustainable lifestyles.

The Case for Reforming Multilateral Institutions

While Jaishankar did not put forward a specific reform proposal in his address, he argued that international decision-making structures must reflect contemporary realities rather than the power configurations of 1945. The call for multilateral reform is a consistent thread in India's foreign policy, but its pairing with the AI sovereignty argument marks a notable evolution — positioning technology governance as the next frontier in the reform debate.

He closed his address with the words of Mahatma Gandhi: 'There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.' India is expected to carry these positions into upcoming multilateral forums as it continues to press for a permanent UN Security Council seat and a leadership role in shaping global AI governance norms.