India will publish an AI regulation paper within a month, says IT Minister Vaishnaw
Safety and deepfakes top the list. The minister said on 8 October that the paper will be the base for India’s AI regulation.
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- Editor approvalMayank Sahu · 11 Oct, 19:46
- Published11 Oct, 19:46
In short
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on 8 October that the government will release a consultation paper on AI regulation within a month. Safety comes first. Deepfakes, user harm and cybersecurity are also on the list.
What the minister said
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on 8 October 2026 that the government will publish a consultation paper on regulating artificial intelligence "in a month's time from now", and that regulation will follow based on it.1 He spoke in New Delhi at an event marking the release of the World Development Report.12
"The time has come for AI regulation," Vaishnaw said, according to Business Today.2 He said he would ask his department for a regulation-focused paper that "focuses on safety".2
What the paper will cover
Vaishnaw called safety "the most important point".1 He also named deepfakes, which he described as a "nuisance which can cause huge problems in society", along with user harm, cybersecurity and psychological harm.1 The paper will also take a human-first approach and include skilling, he said.13
Law plus technology
The minister said India needs "a techno-legal solution" and that all stakeholders must be brought on board.1 He said the industry "has to take the primary responsibility" for these risks.1
What is not known yet
The minister did not give an exact release date, the legal form the rules will take, or how they would be enforced. Business Today reports that the IT Ministry is also exploring a consent-based framework for synthetic content and regulatory sandboxes for high-risk uses.2 The government has not published those plans.
Why it matters
Business Today notes a shift in approach: the government earlier said existing laws were enough, and is now moving toward dedicated AI rules.2 Companies that build or use AI in India should watch for the paper and any public comment process that follows.
Fact ledger
How labels workQuestions readers ask
When will India release its AI regulation paper?
Within a month of 8 October, the IT Minister said. No exact date has been given.
Will India ban deepfakes?
Not announced. Deepfakes are a focus area of the paper, but specific rules are not public yet.