India's tech diplomacy in focus ahead of next year's AI Summit

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, led by Shashi Tharoor, is examining India's technological diplomacy in AI and outer space. This comes as India prepares to host a major AI Summit, chaired by the PM, early next year.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs on Monday held discussions on India's technological diplomacy with the country slated to host the AI Summit next year. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who is chairman of the committee, said after the meeting that committee has taken up the topic of technological diplomacy, including areas like outer space, artificial intelligence.

Focus on AI, Outer Space Ahead of Summit

"This year, we have taken up the topic of technological diplomacy, including areas like outer space, artificial intelligence, and various areas in which our diplomacy is venturing into the field of technology. Today was the first briefing by the Secretary dealing with this issue in the MEA," Tharoor told ANI.

"We will have many more sessions because we want to hear from other ministries and experts. Our technological diplomacy is very significant. There is also an AI Summit that our Prime Minister will be chairing in February next year. In the lead-up to that, this issue will need further discussion. It was a preliminary briefing, which we found very useful," he said.

Tharoor Defines 'Technological Diplomacy'

Elaborating on the term 'technological diplomacy', Tharoor said that it depicts India's geopolitical posturing in matters which involve the use of technology and its applications. "It (technological diplomacy) is very simply India's geopolitical posture and diplomacy when it relates to matters involving the use of technology and its applications. Diplomacy goes beyond the actual technology. It goes in things like our relations with countries in the global south and how we leverage our cooperation with them in tech or outer space, and in the process, boost our relations with these countries," he noted.

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