Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that India will roll out fully Indian-designed, Indian-manufactured domestic smartphone brand by October 23, 2028.
Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2026 on Friday, Vaishnaw spoke about this ambitious technological milestone for the country, while responding to the question on whether India will have a company like Apple or Samsung.
According to the Union Minister, this milestone builds upon India's rapid strides in electronics manufacturing and the expanding semiconductor ecosystem, shifting the nation from an assembly hub to a creator of indigenous high-tech consumer products.
Highlighting other technological developments, he informed that India's strategic semiconductor roadmap has been clearly set with clear plans for transition from establishing foundational 28-nanometer fabrication facilities to scaling up manufacturing for advanced 5-nanometer and 3-nanometer nodes by 2035.
Vaishnaw further said that the government is working on AI regulatory framework, noting that artificial intelligence concerns have now crossed a threshold that need new laws. "We will be issuing a consultation paper in coming weeks," Vaishnaw said. Arguing that India's approach has typically favoured innovation over excessive regulation, he said safeguards are required to make sure AI continues to be human-centric and under human control. "The race towards innovation has to be moderated by safety of human beings. AI has to be human centric, it has to make sure that the control over the agents, models, outcome which happens and processes has to be in human hands," he added.
As per Viashnaw, there are two competing schools of thought on AI regulation across the globe. One says that that governments should permit the technology to mature before imposing rules, while the other favours stricter oversight from the outset. India has usually tilted towards encouraging innovation, he said, adding that growing AI risks now make regulation necessary. According to the minister, AI governance should be aligned globally as digital technologies transcend national boundaries.
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