AI adoption improves northeast India's flood prediction accuracy by massive 42%

India has been steadfast in its AI adoption; the country is already using technology to strengthen public systems at scale. Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric ID system with over 1.3 billion residents, is increasingly paired with AI to reduce fraud, improve targeting and ensure benefits reach the right households. With transparent governance and public trust, these tools can make service delivery more adaptive and inclusive for communities that rely on social protection.

Dr Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP India, said, “India’s digital strengths give it a head start in building an AI future that works for everyone. AI is already strengthening public health, improving climate resilience and supporting better services. The real test is ensuring these gains reach every community. The choices we make now will determine whether AI narrows gaps or widens them. India can lead by ensuring its benefits reach rural communities, women and young people, not only those already connected.”

The report highlights India as a country that can demonstrate how AI can be scaled safely and inclusively. India is already applying AI to strengthen major public systems:

• Health: AI-assisted chest X-ray interpretation for tuberculosis screening is identifying cases earlier and speeding up follow-up at lower cost.

• Climate resilience: Deep-learning models in northeast India have improved flood prediction accuracy from 38% to 80%, providing up to 96 hours of advance warning.

• Agriculture: The Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture (DiCRA) platform uses open-source geospatial intelligence and machine learning to help authorities identify climate-vulnerable districts and guide climate-smart agriculture.

• Biodiversity: AI-enabled species identification and real-time alerts under Project Tiger are improving monitoring and reducing human-wildlife conflict.

The way forward

The report concludes that AI’s long-term impact will depend on choices made now - especially investments in digital governance, inclusion and safeguards. It calls for India to continue leading on people-first AI, focusing on transparency, equitable access, and participation of marginalized communities in designing AI systems.

With the right policies, India can help steer the region away from a new era of inequality and toward an inclusive AI future that advances the Sustainable Development Goals. The report is produced by UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, drawing on contributions from UNDP’s global policy network, governance experts, digital specialists, and country offices.