Digital dystopia where humans serve algorithms or a humane society where technology serves the people, questions VP
On April 4, 2025, Vice-President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar addressed the release of the book 'AI on Trial' by Rajya Sabha member Shri Sujeet Kumar. In his speech, the Vice-President highlighted several key points regarding the regulation and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
- Balancing Regulation and Innovation: Emphasized the need to strike a balance between regulating AI and fostering innovation, cautioning that overregulation could stifle entrepreneurship, while under-regulation might jeopardize public safety and trust.
- Establishment of a National AI Authority: Proposed the creation of an independent yet accountable National Artificial Intelligence Authority or Commission, comprising representatives from government, industry, academia, and civil society, to serve as a think tank for AI governance.
- Protecting Citizens' Rights: Called for enforceable rights to safeguard citizens from AI-related risks, including the right to explanation, the right to contest automated decisions, and the right to opt out of algorithmic processing, especially when such decisions affect livelihoods, liberty, and dignity.
- Addressing AI's Legal Implications: Highlighted that AI's opacity challenges legal transparency and accountability, necessitating a re-examination of existing jurisprudence and the development of standards to prevent unregulated consequences.
- Ensuring Meaningful Consent: Stressed that consent must be meaningful and not buried in complex terms of service, asserting that consent lacking true freedom is not valid in law.
- Asserting Cyber Sovereignty: Emphasized the importance of asserting India's cyber sovereignty while aligning with global standards, advocating for a collaborative international approach to AI regulation.
INDIA-THAILAND RELATIONS
On April 3-4, 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Thailand and participated in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. During this visit, both leaders agreed to elevate India-Thailand relations to a Strategic Partnership, aiming to enhance cooperation across multiple sectors.
Key points from the Joint Declaration:
- Political Cooperation:
- Commitment to regular high-level exchanges and meetings between Foreign Ministers and Senior Officials to discuss regional and global security challenges.
- Promotion of parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.
- Defence and Security Cooperation:
- Strengthening defence collaboration, focusing on technology, industry, research, training, and capacity building.
- Enhancing security cooperation through dialogues between respective security and law enforcement agencies to address traditional and non-traditional security issues, including cybersecurity and counter-terrorism.
- Economic, Trade, and Investment Cooperation:
- Organizing regular meetings under the Joint Trade Committee to promote trade and investment.
- Aiming to increase bilateral trade beyond the approximate US$ 15 billion recorded in 2023-24 by exploring new areas such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, digital technology, and startups.
- Exploring the establishment of a local currency-based settlement mechanism to facilitate trade.
- Connectivity:
- Socio-cultural, Educational, and People-to-People Exchanges:
- Promoting educational cooperation through mutual recognition of qualifications and increased student exchanges.
- Deepening cultural relations via performing arts, exhibitions, seminars, and festivals.
- Exploring collaboration in sports and enhancing cooperation with India's North Eastern Region in areas like tourism and education.
- Regional and Multilateral Cooperation:
- Enhancing collaboration within regional and sub-regional frameworks such as ASEAN, BIMSTEC, and Mekong-Ganga Cooperation.
- Strengthening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and promoting synergies among various regional frameworks.
Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II)
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) for the financial years 2024-25 to 2028-29.
Key highlights of VVP-II:
- Objective: Enhance living conditions and provide livelihood opportunities in villages located in blocks adjoining international land borders (ILBs), excluding the Northern border already covered under VVP-I.
- Funding: Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding from the central government.
- Budget Allocation: Total outlay of ₹6,839 crore.
- Implementation Regions: Selected strategic villages in the States/UTs of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Ladakh (UT), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
- Programme Goals:
- Ensure prosperous and safe borders.
- Control trans-border crime.
- Integrate border populations with the nation, encouraging them to act as 'eyes and ears' for border guarding forces, crucial for internal security.
- Infrastructure development within villages or clusters.
- Value chain development through cooperatives and self-help groups.
- Border-specific outreach activities.
- Educational infrastructure enhancements, such as SMART classes.
- Development of tourism circuits.
- Projects to create diverse and sustainable livelihood opportunities in border areas.
- Implementation Approach: Interventions will be tailored to specific borders, states, and villages, based on collaboratively prepared Village Action Plans.
- Connectivity Enhancements: All-weather road connectivity will be undertaken under the already approved PMGSY-IV by the Ministry of Rural Development. A High-Powered Committee, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, will consider suitable relaxations in schematic guidelines for effective implementation in border areas.
- Saturation Goals: Aim to achieve saturation in existing individual and household-level welfare schemes in identified villages through convergence, focusing on four thematic areas:
- Cultural and Social Initiatives: Enhance vibrancy in villages by organizing activities such as fairs, festivals, awareness camps, celebration of National days, and regular visits by Ministers and senior government officers, including overnight stays. These initiatives aim to boost tourism potential and promote local culture and heritage.
- Technology Integration: Leverage technology and utilize information databases like PM Gati Shakti for effective project implementation.
Parliament passes the Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025
The Protection of Interest in Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025, was recently passed by both Houses of Parliament. Introduced by Civil Aviation Minister Shri Ram Mohan Naidu, the bill aims to align India's aircraft leasing and financing ecosystem with global standards.
Key points from the bill's passage include:
- Objective: The bill seeks to enhance legal certainty for aircraft financiers, thereby reducing leasing costs for Indian carriers.
- Background: India adopted the Cape Town Convention in 2008, which aimed to standardize international leasing agreements. However, gaps in legal enforcement led to higher leasing costs—typically 8 to 10 percent higher than in other nations.
- Civil Aviation Growth: Minister Naidu highlighted significant growth in India's aviation sector:
- Annual passengers increased from approximately 103.8 million in 2014 to 228.1 million in 2024.
- The number of airports rose from 74 in 2014 to 159 in 2024, with two more set to launch soon.
- The aircraft fleet expanded from 340 in 2014 to over 840 by 2024.
- Future Initiatives:
- Plans to generate 25 million liters of Sustainable Aviation Fuel by 2025.
- Transition over 100 airports to renewable energy sources.
- Address the growing demand for trained pilots, estimated at 30,000 to 34,000 over the next 10 to 15 years, by increasing Flight Training Organizations and issuing more commercial pilot licenses annually.
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