As India advances towards Viksit Bharat 2047, AI is emerging as a strategic enabler of next-generation governance. In this context, Shri Pankaj Kumar Pandey, IAS, Principal Secretary, DPAR (e-Governance), Government of Karnataka, explains to Muskan Jaiswal of Elets News Network how Karnataka is embedding AI into core digital platforms through the Karnataka AI Cell, moving beyond pilots to institutionalise intelligent, transparent and inclusive service delivery at a population scale, aligned with the IndiaAI Mission. Edited excerpts:

Viksit Bharat 2047 places technology-led governance at the core of India’s development agenda. How should Artificial Intelligence be strategically deployed across government to enhance administrative efficiency, transparency and inclusive service delivery at a population scale?

Artificial Intelligence must be embedded within core governance platforms rather than deployed as standalone pilots. In Karnataka, DPAR e-Governance is integrating AI directly into existing digital infrastructure, with the Karnataka AI Cell serving as the institutional anchor to guide adoption across departments.

We are prioritising AI use cases that improve operational efficiency and service responsiveness. For example, AI can automate the classification of citizen applications, intelligently prioritise grievances and help departments manage service delivery workloads more effectively. When integrated with platforms such as Seva Sindhu and grievance systems, this improves turnaround times and service consistency.

AI also enhances transparency by enabling continuous monitoring of service delivery data, allowing early identification of delays, anomalies and regional disparities. This enables timely administrative intervention and shifts governance from reactive monitoring to proactive management.

Equally important is inclusion. AI-enabled multilingual interfaces and conversational systems can make government services more accessible, particularly for citizens facing linguistic or digital barriers.

Our objective is to make AI a foundational capability within Karnataka’s digital public infrastructure, enabling more efficient, transparent and inclusive governance aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

The IndiaAI Mission positions AI as a national public good, built on India’s Digital Public Infrastructure. How can AI-enabled decision-support systems, integrated data platforms and real-time governan ce dash b o ard s b e institutionalised to support predictive, evidence-based policymaking across sectors?

Institutionalising AI-enabled decision- making requires integrated data ecosystems, standardised deployment frameworks and direct integration of AI insights into administrative workflows.

In Karnataka, DPAR e-Governance is strengthening integrated data environments across departments, with the Karnataka AI Cell enabling departments to leverage this data for predictive insights and operational decision support.

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AI-enabled dashboards provide real- time visibility into service delivery and administrative performance. These systems allow departments to anticipate demand, identify bottlenecks and proactively allocate resources. This shifts governance from retrospective reporting to predictive and evidence-based decision-making.

We are also developing reusable AI frameworks and standardised integration approaches to ensure scalability, interoperability and alignment with the IndiaAI Mission.

Karnataka has often served as a lab orator y for governance innovation, backed by strong digital capacity and institutional readiness. From a policy standpoint, what lessons from Karnataka’s experience can help other states operationalise AI in a manner that is scalable, interoperable and aligned with national frameworks such as the IndiaAI Mission?

Karnataka’s experience highlights the importance of institutional leadership, strong digital foundations and standardisation. The Karnataka AI Cell within DPAR e-Governance provides a central mechanism to guide departments, prioritise use cases and ensure alignment with national frameworks. This institutional structure is critical for coordinated and scalable adoption.

Equally important is investment in digital public infrastructure. Platforms such as Seva Sindhu and integrated digital systems provide the foundation upon which AI capabilities can be effectively deployed.

We are also focusing on interoperability, reusable frameworks and capacity building within government. These measures ensure that AI adoption is sustainable, scalable and aligned with governance priorities.

As AI systems increasingly influence public decisions, trust becomes a strategic imperative. How should governments translate the principles of safe, trusted and responsible AI into enforceable standards and institutional practices, while still enabling innovation aligned with the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047?

Trust must be built through clear governance frameworks, transparency and accountability.

In Karnataka, AI deployments are guided by defined governance protocols under DPAR e-Governance and the Karnataka AI Cell. AI systems operate with appropriate oversight, ensuring transparency, auditability and administrative accountability.

Data privacy and security are central to all deployments, ensuring responsible handling of citizen data.

At the same time, innovation is being encouraged through structured pilots and controlled deployments. This balanced approach ensures that AI strengthens governance outcomes while maintaining public trust.

India’s federal structure offers a distinctive advantage in advancing AI-led governance. How can Centre–State coordination, inter- state collaboration and national policy frameworks ensure equitable, consistent and mission-aligned AI adoption across regions and sectors?

India’s federal structure enables national frameworks to provide strategic direction while allowing states to drive contextual implementation.

The IndiaAI Mission provides standards, enabling infrastructure and policy guidance. States such as Karnataka operationalise these frameworks through institutional mechanisms such as the Karnataka AI Cell, ensuring structured and scalable adoption.

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Inter-state collaboration is equally important. Sharing frameworks, best practices and implementation experiences accelerates adoption and ensures consistency.

This collaborative model, combining national alignment with state-level execution, will enable India to build a scalable and inclusive AI-enabled governance ecosystem aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

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