Relevance: GS II (International Relations) & GS III (Science & Tech) | Source: The Hindu

1. What is Algorithmic Sovereignty?

Today, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming the “brain” behind government laws, healthcare, and national security.

• The Core Idea: It means a country must build, own, and control its own AI computer programs and data.
• Reflecting Local Reality: Our AI should understand Indian languages, local culture, and Indian laws, instead of just blindly copying Western ideas.

2. The Problem with Foreign AI (Bias)

To understand why India needs its own AI, look at how foreign AI behaves in real-world conflicts:

• The Bias: Recently, an advanced foreign AI was asked a legal question regarding a United States naval activity in Asian waters.
• Ignoring India: The AI instantly gave an answer that supported the Western viewpoint. It completely ignored India’s long-standing legal rules regarding sea borders (UNCLOS).
• The Threat: Because these AI tools are trained mostly on Western data, they treat American opinions as the “default truth” and make the Asian or Indian viewpoint invisible.

3. The Danger of ‘Digital Colonialism’

For your UPSC Mains, this is a major national security challenge:

• Foreign Rule over Data: If India relies only on AI made by the US or China, foreign companies will control our digital data and knowledge. This is called “Digital Colonialism.”
• Outsourcing our Brain: If we depend on foreign AI for our law and defense decisions, we are effectively giving away our power to think and make independent national choices (our Strategic Autonomy).

4. How is India Fighting Back?

Just like India achieved self-reliance (Atmanirbharta) in its space rockets and nuclear plants, it is now focusing on AI.

• Building a Sovereign AI Stack: Through the IndiaAI Mission, the government is spending thousands of crores to build massive AI computers and datasets that are purely Indian.
• Local Solutions: The aim is to create smart AI tools specifically designed for the Indian public, such as apps to help local farmers or rural hospitals in their own regional languages.

UPSC Value Box

With reference to global technology and international relations, consider the following statements:

1. ‘Algorithmic Sovereignty’ refers to a nation’s ability to control the artificial intelligence systems and data that shape its society.
2. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), India officially supports the absolute right of foreign navies to conduct military exercises in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) without prior permission.
3. ‘Digital Colonialism’ refers to the dominance of foreign technology platforms over a developing country’s digital infrastructure.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)