Published on October 11, 2025
Contents
Introduction to the AI Roadmap InitiativeKey Announcements and ObjectivesCore Components and Features of the RoadmapTarget Beneficiaries: India’s Informal WorkforceTimeline and Implementation StrategyEconomic and Social ImpactsChallenges Addressed and Mitigation ApproachesStakeholders and Collaborative EcosystemFuture Plans and Vision for Viksit Bharat
Delhi, India
Introduction to the AI Roadmap Initiative
- NITI Aayog has launched a groundbreaking national roadmap titled ‘AI for Inclusive Societal Development,’ focusing on harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and frontier technologies to empower India’s 490 million informal workers.
- This pioneering effort shifts the narrative from formal sector AI applications to uplifting the informal workforce, which contributes nearly half of India’s GDP but often lacks access to digital tools and protections.
- The roadmap, backed by government and multi-sector partnerships, positions AI as a tool for equitable growth, aligning with the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision of a $30 trillion economy.
Key Announcements and Objectives
- Central to the launch is Mission Digital ShramSetu, a flagship initiative designed to connect informal workers to digital ecosystems using AI, blockchain, immersive learning, and other emerging technologies.
- Objectives include enhancing skills, providing social protection, expanding market access, and creating new livelihood opportunities to address financial insecurity and skill gaps among workers like farmers, artisans, and healthcare aides.
- The strategy emphasizes making AI accessible and affordable, ensuring that technology drives inclusive transformation rather than exclusion, with informal workers’ voices at the heart of development.
Core Components and Features of the Roadmap
- Mission Digital ShramSetu: Acts as a bridge to digital tools, integrating AI for personalized skill-building and blockchain for secure identity verification and financial inclusion.
- Focus on frontier technologies like immersive learning to upskill workers in real-time, addressing barriers such as limited formal education and market connectivity.
- Holistic ecosystem building: Combines policy reforms, social support, and tech integration to foster sustainability in the digital economy.
Target Beneficiaries: India’s Informal Workforce
- Targets 490 million informal workers who form the backbone of sectors like agriculture, crafts, and services, contributing almost 50% to GDP despite facing income instability and exclusion from social security.
- Prioritizes vulnerable groups such as small farmers and gig economy participants, aiming to prevent economic marginalization and boost productivity.
- Without intervention, their average annual income could stagnate at $6,000 by 2047, far below the $14,500 per capita needed for high-income status.
Timeline and Implementation Strategy
- Aligned with the long-term Viksit Bharat 2047 goal, the roadmap calls for immediate coordinated action to scale interventions over the next two decades.
- Phased rollout: Starts with pilot programs under Mission Digital ShramSetu, expanding through partnerships to ensure nationwide coverage by 2030 milestones.
- Emphasizes urgency to avert income stagnation and integrate informal workers into the $30 trillion economy trajectory.
Economic and Social Impacts
- Projected to unlock new jobs and livelihoods by enhancing worker productivity and market access, potentially adding billions to GDP through inclusive AI adoption.
- Mitigates risks of job displacement by focusing on upskilling, promoting social protection, and fostering innovation in informal sectors.
- Broader vision: Positions India as a global leader in ethical AI for development, ensuring equitable growth and reducing inequality.
Challenges Addressed and Mitigation Approaches
- Tackles key hurdles like financial insecurity, skill deficits, and digital exclusion through affordable tech solutions and policy safeguards.
- Recognizes that technology alone is insufficient, advocating for integrated social support systems to prevent further marginalization.
- Promotes coordinated efforts to overcome infrastructure gaps in rural and underserved areas.
Stakeholders and Collaborative Ecosystem
- Led by NITI Aayog with involvement from government officials, industry leaders, and development organizations like NASSCOM Foundation, World Bank, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
- Encourages multi-stakeholder partnerships across government, industry, academia, and civil society for holistic implementation.
- Focus on inclusive design, incorporating feedback from informal workers to tailor solutions effectively.
Future Plans and Vision for Viksit Bharat
- Long-term: Build a resilient digital ecosystem where informal workers thrive, contributing to the $30 trillion economy by 2047 through sustained AI integration.
- Ongoing monitoring and adaptation of policies to evolve with tech advancements, ensuring AI serves societal development.
- Call to Action: Stakeholders urged to join forces for rapid scaling, empowering workers to lead India’s digital transformation.
