India is preparing for a major agricultural transformation powered by artificial intelligence, Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced at the Global Conference on AI in Agriculture and Investor Summit 2026 in Mumbai. He described AI as a scalable solution to long-standing farming challenges such as unpredictable weather, pest attacks, and poor market access.
According to the Minister, India’s 140 million farm holdings could unlock Rs 70,000 crore in annual value if AI helps farmers improve efficiency and reduce input costs. He highlighted Maharashtra’s MahaAgri-AI Policy as a model and said national expansion would follow under the India AI Mission.
A key innovation includes “Agri Param,” developed under BharatGen, which provides AI-based advisory in 22 Indian languages, making technology accessible to farmers in their native tongues. The government also plans to create a National Agri-AI Research Network in partnership with institutions such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Indian Institute of Technology, and Indian Institute of Science.
AI integration will also include satellite mapping, drones, climate forecasting, and biotechnology to improve crop planning and disease detection. Additionally, the Union Budget 2026–27 has proposed the Bharat-VISTAAR platform to provide personalised farm advisory through mobile devices, even in rural areas with low connectivity.
The government aims to make India a global leader in agri-AI while improving farmer incomes, strengthening food security, and modernising the agricultural ecosystem.
