India and China Call for Inclusive Global AI Governance

India and China presented competing and complementary visions for the future of artificial intelligence during the inaugural United Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva. The forum, established under General Assembly Resolution 79/325 and the 2024 Global Digital Compact, serves as a multi-stakeholder platform to set international standards and address the socio-economic impacts of AI.

Kirti Vardhan Singh, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, emphasized that the Global South must close capacity gaps to participate meaningfully in governance. He argued that responsible AI must be built on the principles of human oversight, the protection of human rights, and the prevention of misuse. Singh framed the UN dialogue as a deciding forum where nations must choose consensus over conflict to ensure that technology does not outpace diplomacy.

Representing China, Jia Guide advocated for the bridging of global AI divides and the protection of digital sovereignty. Guide asserted that nations should maintain the right to independently choose AI products without being coerced into taking sides. To advance these objectives and the Global AI Governance Initiative, China announced it will host the 2026 World AI Conference and a High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance.