Bureau of Indian Standards Drives Global AI Discussions at ISO/IEC Summit

Smt. Khare emphasized India's readiness to take on a greater role in shaping international AI standards, particularly in the development of Large Language Models (LLM) and Small Language Models (SLM).

India is strengthening its global leadership in the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) standards, with the country positioning itself at the forefront of shaping global AI governance. This was underscored by Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, during the inauguration of the 15th Plenary meeting of the Technical Committee of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) focused on AI. The event, hosted by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), saw the participation of over 350 global experts from 70 countries.

Smt. Khare emphasized India's readiness to take on a greater role in shaping international AI standards, particularly in the development of Large Language Models (LLM) and Small Language Models (SLM). The government remains committed to advancing these technologies in a responsible manner, with a focus on ensuring that they are developed through global collaboration while aligning with national priorities. She highlighted the importance of aligning national AI strategies with global standards that are inclusive, context-aware, and adaptable to local needs, emphasizing the need for ethical, trustworthy, and secure AI frameworks.

Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), reflected on India's ongoing efforts to build a collaborative AI ecosystem. As a founding member of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), India has sustained strong engagements with key international stakeholders, reinforcing its commitment to promoting 'AI for good and for All.' Shri Krishnan stressed the importance of democratizing and decentralizing AI, with a particular focus on setting global standards for the technology to maintain a competitive edge and ensure equitable access to its benefits.

The BIS, which serves as India’s National Standards Body, is leading global efforts in AI standardization. The 15th plenary and the associated subgroup meetings of the ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42 sub-committee on Artificial Intelligence, held in New Delhi, were a significant milestone in these efforts. BIS has formed sector-specific working groups dedicated to targeted AI standard development, which involve collaboration with ministries, academia, regulatory bodies, and consumer organizations.

Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari, Director General of BIS, announced that the IEC General Meeting 2025 will be hosted in India, in New Delhi, serving as further evidence of India’s growing influence in global standardization. In addition to hosting management and technical committee meetings, the IEC General Meeting will include a range of seminars, workshops, and exhibitions focused on emerging technologies such as AI. This highlights India’s increasing role in driving the development of global standards.

Throughout the week-long plenary and subgroup meetings, discussions centered around several key areas that are essential for the future of AI, such as foundational AI standards, data governance, trustworthiness, computational methods, and AI applications across various industries. One notable area of focus was the development of standards for the resilience assessment of AI systems, a critical aspect of ensuring the robustness and reliability of AI technologies in various sectors. India is leading efforts in this area, with experts from around the world contributing to the discussion on how to establish comprehensive standards for AI system resilience.

The plenary also featured an International Workshop on 'Enabling Trust in Technology in the Age of LLMs and Generative AI,' organized by BIS. During this workshop, Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary of MeitY and CEO of IndiaAI, spoke about the importance of building trust in AI through principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability. He emphasized the need for diverse and inclusive datasets to ensure the equitable deployment of AI technologies. India’s experiences were shared, including the development of standards for voice and image data, which are especially important in linguistically diverse countries like India.

Shri Bharat Khera, Additional Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, also addressed the importance of establishing robust, inclusive, and internationally recognized standards for AI. He noted that such standards would not only safeguard the ethical deployment of AI technologies but also create a level playing field for developing countries. This would enable them to adopt AI responsibly, benefiting from AI’s potential to transform sectors such as consumer services. He cited the example of the AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline (NCH) system, which utilizes AI for automated grievance classification and predictive analysis, thus reducing resolution times and improving customer service.

The plenary and its workshops highlighted India’s pivotal role in shaping the future of global AI governance. As the country’s representative on international ISO and IEC committees, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is playing a crucial part in shaping the future of AI standards. These international standards are essential for ensuring global economic stability, trade facilitation, and the interoperability, safety, security, and reliability of AI systems. They also play a significant role in supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

India’s leadership in AI standardization signifies its commitment to playing a central role in the global AI landscape. By continuing to build strong partnerships and leading the development of international standards, India is not only securing its position at the forefront of AI innovation but also ensuring that AI is used responsibly and inclusively for the benefit of all.