New Delhi, Dec 9 – The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has moved forward with its first‑phase working paper on how India should handle copyright issues that arise from generative artificial intelligence, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry announced Tuesday.
The draft stems from a committee, set up on 28 April, that asked whether our current copyright rules are fit for purpose and what changes, if any, might be needed.
It surveys a range of international responses – blanket exemptions for training AI, text‑and‑data‑mining exceptions that may include opt‑out options, voluntary licensing frameworks, and expanded collective licensing schemes.
After reviewing the options, the committee concluded that none of them squarely meets India’s dual need to protect creators while fostering AI innovation.
In particular, the idea of a “zero‑price licence” that would let AI developers use any content for free was turned down. The experts warned that such a provision would undermine incentives for human authors and could eventually erode the production of high‑quality creative works.
Instead, the working paper outlines a hybrid approach. Under this model, AI developers would obtain a blanket licence that allows use of any legally available content to train their models, without having to secure individual permissions or negotiate separately. Royalties would come into play only when the AI system is launched commercially. The rates for those royalties would be set by a committee nominated by the government and could be challenged in court.
To streamline the process, a centralised system would be established to collect and distribute the licences’ proceeds. The committee argues that this would cut down on legal and administrative hassle, ensure a fair share for creators, and make it easier for both large firms and small startups to stay compliant.
The document also thanks Dr. Raghavendra Rao for his pivotal support in preparing the paper. Team members D. Sripriya, Kushal Wadhawan and Priyanka Arora are acknowledged for helping compile the draft.
With Part 1 out, DPIIT has opened the proposals for a public comment period. Stakeholders and citizens may submit their feedback over the next 30 days, contributing to India’s evolving stance on AI‑related copyright.
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