Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a candid and wide-ranging conversation with Lex Fridman, outlined India’s ambitions in artificial intelligence, the global rise of Indian talent, and the irreplaceable role of human intelligence in shaping technology.
In the nearly two-and-a-half-hour discussion, PM Modi asserted India’s indispensable role in the AI revolution, stressing that no single nation can lead AI development in isolation. “No matter what the world does with AI, it will remain incomplete without India,” PM Modi declared. “I am making this statement very responsibly. Can anyone develop AI entirely on their own?”
India, despite being seen as a late entrant in AI, is making rapid advancements, much like its record-breaking 5G rollout. “Take 5G, for example: the world initially believed we were far behind. But once we started, we became the fastest nation globally to roll out comprehensive 5G networks,” PM Modi stated.
He revealed how an American tech executive had recently told him that if they advertised engineering jobs in the U.S., they would barely fill a room, but in India, even a football field wouldn’t be enough to accommodate applicants.
“India has access to an extraordinarily vast pool of talent, and that’s our greatest strength,” he said. “Artificial intelligence is fundamentally powered, shaped, and guided by human intelligence. And the richest reservoir of that intelligence is found in India’s youth and talent pool.”
PM Modi also highlighted the influence of Indian-origin CEOs in global tech, including Google’s Sundar Pichai, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, and Perplexity AI’s Aravind Srinivas.
“Indian culture emphasises that there should be equal respect for the place where you’re born and the place where you work. There should be no difference. As much as there is dedication to the land of birth, there should be the same sense of dedication to the land of work,” he explained. “The ability to work effectively as part of a team matters significantly more than just having knowledge. Indians, especially those raised in joint families and an open society, naturally develop leadership skills and problem-solving abilities.”
This, he argued, is why Indian professionals hold key positions across the world’s biggest companies.
PM Modi also touched upon India’s growing dominance in space exploration and startups, noting that just a few years after opening up the sector, over 200 private companies are now working in space technology.
“Missions like Chandrayaan are extremely cost-effective. India’s Chandrayaan mission cost less than what Hollywood spends making a single blockbuster film! When the world sees how efficient we are, they naturally think, ‘Why not partner with India?’”
When asked about the fear that AI might replace humans, PM Modi dismissed the notion of a technology-vs-humanity conflict, emphasising that humans have always adapted ahead of technological advancements. “It has always been the case. After all, it is humans who find the best ways to use technology to their advantage,” he said. “And I believe that with AI, humans are now being forced to reflect on what it truly means to be human. This is the real power of AI.”
While AI can create, generate, and predict, Modi pointed out its fundamental limitation: “Humans have an innate ability to care for each other, the natural tendency to be concerned about one another. Can AI do that?”
PM Modi urged global collaboration in AI, calling it a shared mission rather than a competition. He reiterated that India is not just building theoretical AI models, but also real-world AI applications with a unique, accessible GPU marketplace.