India's draft AI rules could come in November. Here's what we know
What happened: On 8 October 2026, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said his ministry (MeitY) would release a consultation paper on regulating AI within a month. Speaking at the NDTV World Summit later in October, he said it would come “in the coming weeks”, which points to November.
What it may cover: Vaishnaw said the approach would keep citizens safe while supporting innovation. Principles he described as settled include:
- Human-centric AI, with humans in control of AI models, agents and their outcomes;
- a way to stop AI systems that go out of control;
- attention to harms such as deepfakes.
What isn’t clear yet: whether India will propose a new, dedicated AI law or add rules under the existing IT Act, 2000. Vaishnaw said in June that a new law may be needed, but some measures already work under the IT Act, such as this year’s rules requiring AI-made content to be labelled.
Why it matters for you: These rules could decide how AI apps handle deepfakes, who is responsible when AI causes harm, and what protections you get.
What you can do: A consultation paper is a draft that invites public comments. MeitY has said the next round will include civil society and citizens. When it’s published, we’ll explain it here in plain words, and how to send your comments.
Related: AI-made photos and videos must now carry a label in India.