India’s AI ecosystem could soon witness a significant leadership development, with UIDAI CEO Saurabh Vijay expected to take on the additional responsibility of leading the IndiaAI Mission. The move is likely to bring two major digital initiatives under a single leadership framework.
According to reports, Vijay is expected to oversee the IndiaAI Mission following the reassignment of former CEO Abhishek Singh earlier this year. An official announcement regarding the appointment is anticipated in the coming days.
The development comes at an important stage in India’s AI journey. Backed by an investment of over ₹10,000 crore, the IndiaAI Mission aims to strengthen AI infrastructure, expand compute capacity, encourage innovation, and accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence across industries and public services.
A 1998-batch IAS officer from the Maharashtra cadre, Vijay assumed charge as CEO of UIDAI in May 2026. Before joining UIDAI, he held several senior administrative positions in the Maharashtra government. He currently heads the organization responsible for managing Aadhaar, one of the world’s largest digital identity platforms.
Industry experts view the proposed appointment as a strategic step toward aligning India’s digital public infrastructure strengths with its growing AI ambitions. Bringing Aadhaar and the IndiaAI Mission under common leadership could help improve coordination across digital governance, data infrastructure, and AI-enabled public services.
The move also comes as India intensifies efforts to build sovereign AI capabilities, strengthen research and development, and scale AI adoption across sectors. The government continues to position AI as a key pillar of the country’s future technology and innovation strategy.
If confirmed, the appointment would place Vijay at the center of two of India’s most important digital transformation initiatives, reflecting the government’s focus on integrating digital infrastructure and AI-driven growth.
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