WEF's Centre For Fourth Industrial Revolution Partners With Electronics And IT Ministry For 'AI For India 2030'

In a period characterised by technological advancement, the World Economic Forum (WEF) declared on Monday (20 January) that India is leading the way as one of the world's most rapidly expanding economies and a global centre for startups and digital innovation.

On the opening day of the WEF Annual Meeting 2025, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) India, which is the liaison office of the WEF in India, unveiled its report detailing the impact of its six-year journey.

The report's foreword highlighted the significance of India's commitment to development models that use technology as a facilitator, not an obstacle. It further stated that the Forum is honored to collaborate with India in molding a future that prioritises humans, is eco-friendly, and resilient.

In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the C4IR India. Currently, it serves not only as a hotbed for innovation but also as a leading centre for the WEF with a vision for progress driven by technology, The Hindu reported.

As C4IR India embarks on the subsequent stage of its progression, the recent report underscored significant achievements and stressed the need for collaboration among various stakeholders in leveraging technologies to tackle intricate developmental issues.

C4IR India has reported a number of achievements, such as the implementation of AI-enabled agricultural initiatives that enhance the earnings of farmers, healthcare solutions that enable access to essential services, and sustainable frameworks for urban development that elevate the standard of living in cities.

The realisation of these initiatives has been facilitated by robust collaborations among the public and private sectors, academia, and civil society. The focus has been on developing pragmatic solutions that are rooted in responsible governance, the statement further noted.

"Over the past six years, C4IR India has emerged as a key hub for multistakeholder collaboration and has improved the lives of 1.25 million citizens through enhanced livelihoods and better access to healthcare," WEF Managing Director Jeremy Jurgens said.

"The centre has driven Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies across agriculture, health and aviation, setting a benchmark for transformative progress. As C4IR India continues to expand, it is now focusing on cutting-edge areas such as AI, climate tech, and space tech, with exciting potential for creating lasting value for society," he added.

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's (MeitY) partnership with the centre focuses on developing a multistakeholder community to leverage Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies for critical challenges on health, education, smart cities and agriculture.

MeitY secretary S Krishnan said, "AI for India 2030 is an important initiative in partnership with MeitY, enabling stakeholders across industry and startups to partner with the government to realise the potential of AI."

C4IR India is striving to impact 10 million citizens as it expands its primary initiatives and future projects, riding the wave of India's swift economic development and burgeoning status as a worldwide center for digital innovation.

The AI for India 2030 initiative is included, aiming to leverage the potential of artificial intelligence for societal advantages. Along with this, the Space Economy initiative intends to establish India as a pioneer in space technologies.

Additionally, the Climate Technology programme is focused on the development of climate-smart urban centres. Furthermore, the initiative of AVIATE India will delve into the prospects of aerial mobility with the aim of alleviating urban traffic and enhancing connectivity in rural areas.