Stories
How Data Sharing Powers India's AI and Governance Future
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CNBC TV18•10-10-2026, 17:27
How Data Sharing Powers India's AI and Governance Future
- •A recent report by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change highlights how enhanced data sharing across Indian government departments can improve digital governance and AI adoption.
- •The report emphasizes that connecting government data on health, education, land records, and welfare can significantly boost policymaking and public service delivery.
- •Data inefficiencies currently account for fiscal leakage of 4 to 7 percent of India's annual welfare spending, according to a 2025 NITI Aayog assessment cited in the study.
- •Government data-cleaning exercises have already yielded massive savings, including billions of rupees saved by removing ineligible beneficiaries from schemes like PM-KISAN and LPG connections.
- •Experts note that artificial intelligence is only as effective as its underlying data, making common data standards, quality checks, and shared infrastructure crucial for India's future.
Key Questions Answered
Data sharing across government departments improves digital governance, supports efficient public spending, and provides the reliable data foundation required for artificial intelligence to operate effectively in public services.
The report recommends that states establish common data standards, clarify data ownership, strengthen quality checks, develop shared data infrastructure, and implement legal safeguards along with a State Data Balance Sheet.
Examples of state-level data programmes highlighted in the report include Karnataka’s Kutumba social registry, Odisha’s Social Protection Delivery Platform, and Rajasthan’s Pehchan Portal.
