India is pioneering AI initiatives in the Global South.
India’s growing tech ecosystem, combined with a high rate of digital adoption and a vast and diverse population, makes the country poised to pioneer various AI applications. Our research identifies three standout AI initiatives where India is setting the pace: BHASHINI, DIKSHA, and eCourts. These applications showcase how AI can be used to solve real-world challenges—from language barriers and education gaps, to judicial system delays.
BHASHINI:
An AI language platform that can help Indian businesses expand into global markets by overcoming language barriers.
DIKSHA:
A digital education platform that could be adapted for use in other countries in the Global South, in partnership with governments, to strengthen public education at low cost.
eCourts:
A tool to digitise and streamline judicial case management, with the potential to improve court efficiency in other developing nations.
In our research, we found that scaling apps like BHASHINI, DIKSHA, and eCourts internationally could create an additional
(US$840 million) for the Indian economy.
Google.org is helping Rocket Learning boost early educational outcomes for children in India.
Rocket Learning has developed Appu, a GenAI-powered tutor built in just six months with pro bono technical assistance from
Google.org Fellows, and a US$ 1.5 million grant awarded in 2023. Leveraging Generative AI and advanced Large Language Models (LLMs), Appu creates voice‑first, conversational learning experiences that adapt in real time to each child’s pace. For example, when a four‑year‑old progresses confidently, Appu nudges them forward; if they hesitate, it responds with playful hints or integrates storytelling to reinforce learning—all while focusing on pre‑literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional skills.17
Appu works across basic smartphones and supports multiple Indian languages, beginning with Hindi and expanding to 20 languages to serve disadvantaged communities across the country. Thousands of children are already piloting the app, and Rocket Learning aims to reach 50 million families by 2030, including those in government‑run Anganwadi centres and preschools. By empowering each child with individualised, adaptive practice through AI, the project seeks not only to close early learning gaps but to deliver measurable impact in foundational skills at scale.
The DigiKavach campaign has been building user awareness and resilience against online fraud in India. It has raised awareness about common frauds and scams reaching 177 million users and counting.18 With the proliferation of other risks faced online such as the rise of deepfake videos, DigiKavach’s programmes are also working to prevent, detect, and respond to harmful and illegal content at scale and with depth. Building on this impact and furthering the collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Google has officially partnered with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to strengthen its efforts towards user awareness on cybercrimes, over the next couple of months in a phased approach.
It is in this spirit that the Google Safety Engineering Centre (GSEC) India was inaugurated in Hyderabad on June 18, 2025. This facility, Google’s first in the Asia-Pacific region and fourth globally, was inaugurated by Telangana Chief Minister Shri Anumula Revanth Reddy and IT Minister Shri D. Sridhar Babu. GSEC India stands as the operational heart where the Safety Charter’s strategic commitments transform into tangible solutions, uniquely amalgamating Google’s global expertise. With GSEC India, Google is bringing global experience and cutting-edge AI-powered capabilities to serve India’s unique needs, from foundational cybersecurity to user protection. This comprehensive commitment actively builds trust and fosters a safer environment, working closely with partners across industry, government, and academia to build a secure and resilient digital foundation for India’s AI-enabled future. GSEC India will not only serve India’s unique landscape, but also act as a lighthouse for Google’s global security efforts.
Google also issued grants worth US$ 1 million to the Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) in IIT Madras in December 2022. CeRAI is India’s first multidisciplinary centre dedicated to ethical and accountable AI research focused on fairness, interpretability, privacy, and security.19 The Centre aims to become a hub of thought leadership around AI safety and security, conducting research, hosting conferences and curating datasets, software and toolkits on the same.
Google Cloud
supports economic transformation.
AI can proactively keep Indians safe online from new cyberthreats.
Over the last few years, there has been a significant rise in cyber threats in India. These can be particularly damaging for more vulnerable groups such as the elderly, with our estimates suggesting that people in vulnerable age groups suffer around 30 cyberattacks a year.
AI can help boost the offence-defence balance in cybersecurity, enabling new kinds of preemptive tools that can more proactively monitor and flag emerging digital security threats. Once widely deployed, we estimate that AI could prevent over 49% of the costs from cybersecurity threats and fraud.