Artificial Intelligence and Digital Governance in India: Prospects and Problems

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force reshaping governance, public administration and democratic processes across the world. In India, the rapid expansion of digital public infrastructure and the growing adoption of AI-driven systems have positioned digital governance as a defining feature of the contemporary state. This paper examines the prospects and challenges of AI-enabled digital governance in India through the lens of welfare, accountability, and democratic legitimacy. It argues that India’s approach to AI governance is increasingly framed as welfarist, seeking to leverage AI to enhance service delivery, improve efficiency, and promote inclusive development across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and climate change. At the same time, the paper highlights significant vulnerabilities associated with this transition, including algorithmic bias, digital exclusion, surveillance expansion, legal and institutional gaps, and the erosion of democratic principles. As governance shifts from traditional e-governance models to algorithmic decision-making systems, accountability and transparency are increasingly mediated by opaque technological processes. The study situates India’s AI governance trajectory within broader debates on democratic oversight and constitutional values, emphasizing the need for robust legal frameworks, ethical safeguards, and human oversight. It concludes that while AI holds considerable promise for strengthening India’s welfare state, its deployment must be carefully regulated to ensure that technological efficiency does not come at the cost of rights based system.