Pune: India must urgently develop its own Large Language Models (LLMs) and sovereign Artificial Intelligence (AI) to protect its economic independence against a looming “new wave of colonisation”, said Shaurya Doval, founding member, India Foundation, a think tank. Speaking at the Arthachakra event at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics on Saturday, Doval said the global order is shifting toward a technological battleground where AI and frontier technologies will determine who holds power. “AI, frontier technology, and critical minerals are preparing the world for a coming wave of colonisation,” Doval said. “As we stand today in 2026, there are only two major powers — the US and China — gearing up for this battle. India must prepare its own infrastructure to retain its economic sovereignty.” Doval highlighted a stark disparity in investment between India and the world’s leading economies. While the US is spending approximately $500 billion on frontier technologies and China is investing $200 billion, India’s expenditure remains significantly lower. He said while India’s massive population generates vast amounts of data, this “digital gold” is currently being used to train and improve the AI models of other nations rather than fueling domestic innovation. “India should think on a mission-mode basis regarding these technologies, moving beyond tactical advantages to long-term sovereign protection,” he added. According to Doval, the era of total global interdependence is shifting. He argued that India needs to create technological barriers to deter other nations from exerting control through AI or critical supply chains. “I think this is going to be the biggest challenge for India’s sovereignty,” Doval said. “The world is reaching a stage where each country will be entrenched within its own walls. Economic sovereignty will be extremely critical.” While acknowledging that free trade agreements (FTAs) with the US and the European Union remain mutually beneficial, Doval said they have inherent limits. He predicted a trend of “reshoring”, where nations move critical supply chains— particularly for rare earth elements —back within their own borders. Doval concluded with a call to action, urging the country to treat AI development as a matter of national security to ensure that India remains a master of its own digital and economic destiny.
