New Delhi, Jan. 30 -- The Economic Survey 2025-26, tabled in Parliament on Friday, described artificial intelligence (AI) as an economic strategy rather than a technological prestige race. It said that India should pursue application-driven and decentralised AI deployment instead of large, centralised models.

According to the survey, India's AI policy should be shaped by domestic constraints such as limited capital, computing capacity, energy availability and institutional depth.

It cautioned against replicating models adopted by advanced economies and instead recommended bottom-up, sector-specific approaches built on open and interoperable systems.

The survey highlighted that open and interoperable AI systems could act as a "force mul...