Delhi’s administration is preparing to place artificial intelligence (AI) at the centre of urban governance, with Lieutenant-Governor Sardar TS Sandhu on Thursday indicating that the technology could soon be used across sectors ranging from traffic management and environmental monitoring to infrastructure maintenance and grievance redressal.
The roadmap, outlined by the L-G at a national seminar on AI and governance, comes as governments across the country explore ways to use artificial intelligence to improve public service delivery while addressing concerns over data privacy, accountability and technological dependence.
AI as the Next Phase of Digital Governance
Positioning AI as the next phase of India’s digital governance framework, Sandhu said government systems were becoming increasingly data-driven and that advanced technologies could help tackle long-standing coordination and efficiency challenges, particularly in large urban centres such as Delhi. He identified traffic management, civic infrastructure maintenance, environmental monitoring and quicker resolution of public complaints as areas where the administration sees significant potential for AI deployment.
The remarks indicate a shift in the role of technology in public administration, moving beyond the digitisation of services towards the use of predictive and analytical tools for decision-making and resource allocation.
Indigenous AI Development
At the same time, the Lieutenant-Governor placed the AI discussion within a wider national framework, arguing that India cannot rely only on technological solutions developed elsewhere. He said AI applications in the country must be designed around India’s linguistic, cultural and socio-economic realities, cautioning against approaches that ignore the diversity of local needs.
His comments also highlighted the growing debate over AI sovereignty. Sandhu said the issue was no longer limited to access to technology but involved building indigenous capabilities, including foundational models, local datasets and computational systems aligned with national priorities.
The focus on domestic capability comes amid wider discussions on how countries can maintain control over critical digital infrastructure while continuing to benefit from global technological cooperation.
Data Privacy and Public Trust
While highlighting the opportunities offered by AI, the L-G cautioned that public trust would determine its successful adoption. He called for strong safeguards on data usage, privacy protection and transparent accountability mechanisms.
