India AI Impact Summit 2026: Sovereign AI is not just a tool, but strategic autonomy requirement, says ISRO’s Rajiv Chetwani

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Rajiv Chetwani, the director of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), highlighted the critical role of artificial intelligence in enhancing national security and advancing space exploration. Chetwani stressed that for India to achieve genuine security, it must develop its own sovereign AI systems. He argued that the nation should transition from merely consuming AI technology to establishing itself as a foundational pillar of national sovereignty. Chetwani raised concerns about transparency, noting that when AI models are managed by foreign companies, India faces significant limitations in visibility and legal authority. He stated, 'Sovereign AI is not just a tool; it is a strategic autonomy requirement and a fundamental component of our infrastructure for space observation.' He further emphasized the necessity of ensuring that AI infrastructure operates independently from direct internet consumption. The discussion also addressed the transition from 'Black Box' AI to 'Glass Box' AI, with Chetwani asserting that India must avoid reliance on proprietary APIs from international firms with opaque training processes. 'We cannot depend on black box AI,' he explained. 'What we need is glass box AI, which offers complete transparency regarding the training of models, including the data lineage and model weights. The training environment must also be subject to auditing.' Chetwani urged the government to create a framework that guarantees data residency and computing capabilities remain within India, safeguarded by the nation's laws. He elaborated on how AI is revolutionizing various sectors, from agriculture to space operations, by leveraging extensive high-resolution geospatial data. Chetwani noted that AI significantly enhances the utility of satellite imagery, offering invaluable insights in areas such as agriculture, climate monitoring, disaster management, and urban planning. 'AI can transform agriculture through crop monitoring and yield prediction, and it plays a vital role in disaster management, such as early flood predictions,' he said.