ThinkTankWeekly

India as a Democratic Tech Power in the Liberal International Order

CFR | 2026-05-18 | tech

Topics: AI, China, Cybersecurity, Europe, Indo-Pacific, Russia, Trade, United States, Technology

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English Summary

India is uniquely positioned to anchor a democratic alternative to China’s authoritarian tech model, leveraging its democratic institutions and massive market to shape global technology norms. The analysis highlights that India’s tech governance remains rooted in the rule of law and pluralistic deliberation, contrasting sharply with state-led authoritarian models. However, the article stresses that India cannot lead alone; effective progress requires coordinated efforts from like-minded democratic powers, particularly the United States, to fill the growing normative vacuum. Strategically, democratic nations must urgently coordinate to establish shared frameworks for AI and data governance, or risk ceding future economic and regulatory influence to China.

中文摘要

印度在錨定一個對抗中國威權科技模式的民主替代方案方面具有獨特的地位,可利用其民主制度和龐大市場來塑造全球科技規範。分析指出,印度的科技治理仍根植於法治和多元審議,這與國家主導的威權模式形成鮮明對比。然而,本文強調,印度無法單獨領導;有效的進展需要志同道合的民主大國,特別是美國,進行協調努力,以填補日益擴大的規範真空。從戰略角度來看,民主國家必須緊急協調,建立共同的AI和數據治理框架,否則將面臨將未來經濟和監管影響力拱手讓給中國的風險。

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