India Poised to Lead Global AI-Driven Climate Action, Says Minister

However, Singh stated that climate change was "too serious a subject to be left to one nation alone" and could not be mitigated unless countries worked together across borders.

He was speaking at the Technology and Innovation Conclave 2.0, jointly organised by the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).

Further, the Minister said the country was no longer inward-looking and was increasingly expected to contribute ideas and solutions to international efforts on climate and technology.

"India's geographic diversity offered a unique advantage in studying climate impacts and developing adaptable solutions that could be shared with other countries," he said.

Singh also linked AI with India's broader technology roadmap, noting that the country was among the early movers in emerging areas such as quantum technologies, having already launched a national quantum mission.

Artificial intelligence, he said, was similarly transformative and had become critical for analysing climate data, forecasting disasters, and managing resources.

Citing practical examples, the Minister said AI-based models were already being used in disaster response and environmental monitoring, including the analysis of extreme weather events. He also referred to the use of AI in healthcare, where diagnostics that earlier took days could now be completed in minutes, and in drug trials, where technology was improving both speed and precision.

Singh also issued a clear caution against blind or uncritical use of artificial intelligence and emphasised the need for AI to be used with human judgement.

"Artificial Intelligence must be deployed alongside human judgement, institutional cooperation, and global partnerships if it is to effectively address climate change and build resilience against extreme weather events," Singh said.

He emphasised the importance of hybrid models that combine artificial intelligence with human oversight, judgement, and empathy.

"One has to be intelligent enough to use artificial intelligence," he said, underlining that technology should be treated as an essential tool rather than a substitute for human responsibility.

- IANS