Breaking the Glass Ceiling: India's Quest for Global Standards in AI

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare emphasized the need for Indian manufacturers to actively participate in setting global standards, especially in artificial intelligence. She highlighted India's absence from top international standards meetings and urged the country to leverage its talent to break existing barriers.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare urged Indian manufacturers to shed their passive attitude in setting global standards during a speech at a CII event. Khare emphasized the urgent need for India to step up in international standards meetings, which are currently dominated by European countries, despite India's talent in the AI sector.

She cited a prevailing 'glass ceiling' that hampers progress and shared observations from a meeting in Germany where Indian industry representatives remain less vocal about their achievements compared to their foreign counterparts. Khare called for a shift in mindset, moving away from blaming others, to improving standards-setting initiatives.

Discussing policy measures, Khare mentioned initiatives to boost quality compliance, such as integrating the Bureau of Indian Standards with the Government e-Marketplace and expanding testing infrastructure. She also highlighted the importance of industry participation in shaping standards suited to Indian conditions and called for a more proactive approach in adapting to global benchmarks.

(With inputs from agencies.)