Lok Sabha Question No. 3160 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: Misuse of AI in Spreading Fake News
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION. NO. 3160

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 19.03.2025

## MISUSE OF AI IN SPREADING FAKE NEWS

## 3160. ADV GOWAAL KAGADA PADAVI:

Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is considering to introduce any legislation to address the increasing and apparent misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) which contributes to the spread of fake news, rumors and causes confusion among the public;
- (b) if so, whether the Government is aware of other instances where AI is being used globally to spread false information about our country; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the alternative actions being proposed to address this issue?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) to(c): The Government of India emphasizes the concept of 'AI for All,' aligning with the Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision to democratise use of technology. This initiative aims to ensure that AI benefits all sectors of society, driving innovation and growth.

Government is committed to harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the good of  our  people  in  sectors  like  healthcare,  agriculture  and  education.  At  the  same  time,  the Government is cognizant of the risks posed by AI and the need to create guardrails to ensure that AI  is  safe  and  trusted . Cyber-security  risks  arising  out  of  creation, distribution, and dissemination of deepfakes and the technologies that enable creation of deepfakes that may pose risks at an individual level or a national level are currently being addressed by provisions under the Information Technology Act, 2000 ('IT Act') and the rules therein such as the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 ('IT Rules, 2021') which do not distinguish between any information that is synthetically generated using AI tools such as deepfakes and those which are authentic/original information. The IT Act and the IT Rules, 2021 collectively provide a framework  for  removal  of  harmful  content  and  ensures  that  users  over  the  internet  are safeguarded from its perils which includes content that is artificially generated and patently false.

Further, taking into cognizance the urgency to address the harms and criminalities arising out of  widespread  circulation  of  misinformation  and  deepfakes  powered  by  AI,  MeitY  has previously conducted multiple consultations with industry stakeholders/ social  media platforms  to  discuss  the  challenges  identified  in  combating  deepfakes. MeitY has issued advisories  dated  26.12.2023,  15.03.2024  and  03.09.2024  (collectively  as  'Advisories'), through  which  the  intermediaries  were  reminded  about  compliance with  their  duediligence obligations outlined under the Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules, 2021 and advised on countering unlawful content including malicious 'synthetic media' and 'deepfakes' for better compliance to curb deepfakes and promptly remove harmful content online . The overall objective of these advisory is to empower users with adequate information so that they make informed decisions while using synthetic media tools. These Advisories among other things advise  every  intermediary  and  platform  to  ensure  that  its  computer  resource  in  itself  or through the use of AI model(s)/ LLM/ Generative AI, software(s) or algorithm(s) does not permit any bias or discrimination or threaten the integrity of the electoral process.

With  the  innovation  and  increase  in  digital  technologies  for  delivery  of  services  to  users, fraudsters are adopting social engineering techniques including deepfakes to trick users and conducting fraudulent activities. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERTIn) issues alerts and  advisories  regarding  latest cyber  threats/vulnerabilities  including malicious  attacks  using  Artificial  Intelligence  and  countermeasures  to  protect  computers, networks and data on an ongoing basis. In this context, an advisory on safety measures to be taken to minimize the adversarial threats arising from Artificial Intelligence (AI) based applications was published in May 2023. CERT-In has published an advisory in November 2024 on deepfake threats and measures that need to be followed to stay protected against deepfakes.

Government has constituted  an Advisory Group on AI for India-specific regulatory  AI framework under the chairmanship of PSA to Hon'ble Prime Minister of India with diverse stakeholders from academia, Industry and government with an objective to address all issues related to development of Responsible AI framework for safe and trusted development and deployment of AI.

Government  has  constituted a committee  on  the matters related to the issue of deepfakes with  diverse  stakeholders  from  academia,  Industry  and  government  with  an objective to address issues related deepfakes.

Government  has  funded  two  projects  namely 'Fake  Speech  Detection  Using  Deep  Learning Framework' and 'Design  and  Development  of  Software  for  Detecting  Deepfake  Videos  and Images' .  In  the  project 'Design and Development of Software for Detecting Deepfake Videos and Images' a prototype tool capable of detecting deepfakes, named FakeCheck , has been developed to detect deepfakes without the use of the internet. The tool has been shared with select law enforcement agencies for testing and to obtain feedback for further refinement

Under  the  safe  and  trusted  pillar  of  IndiaAI  Mission, Expressions  of  Interest have  been invited  to  address  the  need  for  robust  guardrails  to  ensure  the  responsible  development, deployment, and adoption of AI technologies. These covers a range of critical themes in areas such  as  Watermarking  &  Labelling,  Ethical  AI  Frameworks,  AI  Risk  Assessment  & Management, Stress Testing Tools, and Deepfake Detection Tools .

Union  Cabinet  led  by  Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  has  approved  the  IndiaAI  Mission  on  7 th March 2024, a strategic initiative to establish a robust and inclusive AI ecosystem that aligns with the country's development goals. This mission is driven by a vision to position India as a global leader in artificial intelligence by focusing on seven foundational pillars.

The Mission is being implemented by IndiaAI Independent Business Division (IBD) under Digital  India  Corporation,  and  key  actions  undertaken  for  implementation  of  the  IndiaAI Mission are as below:

## IndiaAI Compute:

-  IndiaAI compute pillar envisions building a high-end scalable AI computing ecosystem comprising  AI  compute  infrastructure  of  10,000  or  more  Graphics  Processing  Units (GPUs).
-  Applications  were  invited  for  Empanelment  of  Agencies  for  providing  AI  services  on Cloud on 16th August 2024. The bid submission was closed on 28th November 2024 and 19 bidders have submitted bids in response to the request out of which 10bidders were qualified for financial bid opening.
-  Against the target of 10,000 GPUs outlined in the IndiaAI compute pillar, technicallyqualified bidders have submitted 18,693 GPUs for empanelment. It may also be noted that15120 of the proposed GPUs for empanelment include high precision GPUs.
-  Out  of  18,693  GPUs  offered,  14,461  GPUs  are  already  installed  on  the  bidder's infrastructure  and  are  available  for  immediate  use.  Additionally,  there  is  further  GPU capacity availablewith the bidders who were not technically qualified.
-  The  prices  quoted  by  the  bidders  are  highly  competitive  and  average  discount  from marketprices  for  all  GPUs  is  42  %.  Average  discount  from  market  prices  for  higher precision  GPUsit is  47%. Average rate per GPU is ₹115.85/hour and Average rate per Higher precision GPUis ₹150/hour.
-  To keep pace with the changes in technologies, IndiaAI enabled a continuous empanelmentprocess inviting fresh proposals from the empaneled agencies for onboarding new GPUs anddiscovering any revised rates.

## IndiaAI FutureSkills:

-  IndiaAI FutureSkills Pillar envisions to augment the number of graduates, post-graduate and PhDs in AI domain. Further, it envisions setting up Data and AI Labs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across India, to impart foundational-level courses in Data and AI.
-  IndiaAI fellowship are being awarded annually to 400 B.Tech and 500 M.Tech students working  in  AI  domain  from  All  India  Council  for  Technical  Education  (AICTE) recognized engineering institutions.
-  Top 50 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked research institutes have been asked to take new PhD scholars under IndiaAI PhD fellowship.
-  A  model  IndiaAI  Data  Lab  in  the  National  Institute  of  Electronics  &  Information Technology (NIELIT's), Delhi has been set up, which acts as a reference point for the infrastructure to be set up in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities as a part of the initiative.
-  All  the  36  States  and  Union  Territories  (UTs)  have  been  requested  to  submit  their nominated list of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)/Polytechnics located in Tier 2 and Tier  3  cities  for  setting  up  of  Data  Labs.  Additionally,  IndiaAI  in  collaboration  with NIELIT plans  to  establish  27  data  labs  in  Tier  2  and  Tier  3  cities  across  the  country, details of which are placed at Appendix I.

## IndiaAI Startup Financing:

-  IndiaAI Startup Financing pillar is to provide support to AI startups at all stages. Multiple rounds  of  stakeholder  consultations  have  been  held  to  deliberate  on  the  scheme  for supporting AI Startups at Pre-Seed, Seed and Growth stage.
-  In collaboration with STATION F and HEC Paris, the IndiaAI Mission has launched an acceleration  program  for  Indian  AI  startups.  This  four-month  immersive  program  (1 month  online,  3  months  onsite  at  STATION  F  in  Paris)  at  the  world's  largest  startup campus will provide 10 selected AI startups with access to mentorship, networking, and global market expansion opportunities in Europe.

## IndiaAI Innovation Centre:

-  IndiaAI  Innovation  centre  aims  to  develop  and  deploy  indigenous  Large  Multimodal Models (LMMs) trained on India-specific data
-  A Call for Proposals has been launched under this pillar to support the development of foundational AI models, inviting startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs to collaborate on creating state-of-the-art AI models using Indian datasets. This initiative aims to establish indigenous AI models, which can be Large Multimodal Models,Large Language Models (LLM), or Small  Language Models  (SLM),  to  address  India-specific  challenges  across various sectors.A total of 67 proposals aimed atbuilding India's foundation models, with contributions  from  both  established  startupsand  new  teams  of  researchers  &  academia have been received till February 15.

## IndiaAI Datasets Platform:

-  The IndiaAI Datasets Platform (IDP) seeks to enhance access, quality, and utilization of public sector datasets to make them AI-ready. The IDP aims to function as a unified data platform, integrating datasets from all existing data platforms as well as onboarding nongovernment data contributors andproviding new-age AI-centric features
-  To  provide  a  unified  portal  for  seamless  access  to  datasets,  tools  and  AI  models, AIKosha: IndiaAI Datasets Platform has been launched. AIKosha is a secured platform that provides a repository of datasets, models and use cases to enable AI innovation. It also  features  AI  sandbox  capabilities  through  an  integrated  development  environment along  with  tools  and  tutorials.  The  platform  is  equipped  with  the  features  like  content

discoverability,  AI  readiness  scoring  of  datasets,  permission-based  access  &  security mechanisms like data encryption at rest and in motion, secure API, and firewalls for realtime filtering of malicious traffic.

## IndiaAI Applications Development Initiative:

-  IndiaAI  Application  Development  Initiative  aims  to  develop,  scale,  and  promote  the adoption of impactful AI solutions to effectively tackle significant problem statements.
-  IndiaAI  Innovation  challenge  was  launched  on  13th  August  2024  for  the  themes  of healthcare, agriculture, improved governance, climate change & disaster management and assistive  technologies  for  learning  disabilities.  The  Innovation  Challenge  was  open  to Indian  innovators,  startups,  non-profits,  students,  academic/R&D  organizations,  and companies. A total of 900 applications have been received across the five focus areas by the deadline of 30th September.Following a rigorous evaluation process, 30 AI solutions have been shortlisted for the next stage across three stages of maturity: Idea, Prototype, and Existing Solutions.
-  CyberGuard  AI  Hackathon  was  launched  on  17th  October  2024  for  Cybercrime prevention in collaboration with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) and in response 263 responses have been received. Shortlisted 20 teams have participated in 3 days hackathon and evaluation is underway to identify the winners.

## Safe & Trusted AI:

-  This pillar enables the implementation  of Responsible  AI projects including the development of indigenous tools and frameworks, self-assessment checklists for innovators, and other guidelines and governance frameworks.
-  Eight  Responsible  AI  Projects  have  been  selected  to  address  the  need  for  robust guardrails  to  ensure  the  responsible  development,  deployment,  and  adoption  of  AI technologies. The projects cover a range of critical themes, including Machine Unlearning,  Synthetic  Data  Generation,  AI  Bias  Mitigation,  Ethical  AI  Frameworks, Privacy-Enhancing  Tools,  Explainable  AI,  AI  Governance  Testing,  and  Algorithm Auditing Tools. The details of the selected projects are given at Appendix II.

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## List of Data & AI labs planned by IndiaAI in collaboration with NIELIT in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across the country:

|   S.No. | NIELIT Centre   | State/UT          |
|---------|-----------------|-------------------|
|       1 | Gorakhpur       | Uttar Pradesh     |
|       2 | Lucknow         | Uttar Pradesh     |
|       3 | Shimla          | Himachal Pradesh  |
|       4 | Aurangabad      | Maharashtra       |
|       5 | Patna           | Bihar             |
|       6 | Buxar           | Bihar             |
|       7 | Muzaffarpur     | Bihar             |
|       8 | Kurukshetra     | Haryana           |
|       9 | Ropar           | Punjab            |
|      10 | Haridwar        | Uttarakhand       |
|      11 | Bikaner         | Rajasthan         |
|      12 | Tezpur          | Assam             |
|      13 | Bhubaneswar     | Odisha            |
|      14 | Calicut         | Kerala            |
|      15 | Guwahati        | Assam             |
|      16 | Itanagar        | Arunachal Pradesh |
|      17 | Srinagar        | J&K               |
|      18 | Jammu           | J&K               |
|      19 | Ranchi          | Jharkhand         |
|      20 | Imphal          | Manipur           |
|      21 | Gangtok         | Sikkim            |
|      22 | Agartala        | Tripura           |
|      23 | Aizawl          | Mizoram           |
|      24 | Shillong        | Meghalaya         |
|      25 | Kohima          | Nagaland          |
|      26 | Leh             | Ladakh            |
|      27 | Silchar         | Assam             |

## APPENDIX - II

## The details of the selected projects under 'Safe & Trusted AI' Pillar are as under:

| NAMEOFTHE THEME                    | SELECTEDAPPLICANT                                                                 | TITLE OFTHE PROJECT                                                                                                                                                               |
|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Machine Unlearning                 | IIT Jodhpur                                                                       | Machine Unlearning in Generative Foundation Models                                                                                                                                |
| Synthetic Data Generation          | IIT Roorkee                                                                       | Design and Development of Method for Generating Synthetic Data for Mitigating Bias in Datasets; and Framework for Mitigating Bias in Machine Learning Pipeline for Responsible AI |
| AI Bias Mitigation Strategy        | National Institute of Technology Raipur                                           | Development of Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Bias Mitigation in Health Care Systems                                                                                     |
| Explainable AI Framework           | DIAT Pune and Mindgraph Technology Pvt. Ltd.                                      | Enabling Explainable and Privacy Preserving AI for Security                                                                                                                       |
| Privacy Enhancing Strategy         | IIT Delhi, IIIT Delhi, IIT Dharwad and Telecommunication Engineering Center (TEC) | Robust Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning Models                                                                                                                                 |
| AI Ethical Certification Framework | IIIT Delhi and Telecommunication Engineering Center (TEC)                         | Tools for assessing fairness of AI model                                                                                                                                          |
| AI Algorithm Auditing Tool         | Civic Data Labs                                                                   | ParakhAI - An open-source framework and toolkit for Participatory Algorithmic Auditing                                                                                            |
| AI Governance Testing Framework    | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and Telecommunication Engineering Center (TEC)         | Track-LLM, Transparency, Risk Assessment, Context & Knowledge for Large Language Models                                                                                           |

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