New Delhi, Feb. 19 -- Are policymakers over-estimating the benefits of hosting the world's data in India? There are good reasons to believe that they are. A proliferation of data centres that store proprietary data in Indian locations is neither necessary nor sufficient to help us achieve our priority aims in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). To develop AI capability, we must devote resources to what is vital.

For hardware, we should indigenize AI chip design, fabrication, assembly and testing; and for software, we should create our own AI models. This is the only way to guard against being at the mercy of foreign suppliers.

That we form a vast market for AI services-estimated to be the world's third largest-should not impress ...