#FactCheck - "Deepfake Video Falsely Claims Justin Trudeau Endorses Investment Project”

Introduction

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology recently released the IT Intermediary Guidelines 2023 Amendment for social media and online gaming. The notification is crucial when the Digital India Bill’s drafting is underway. There is no denying that this bill, part of a series of bills focused on amendments and adding new provisions, will significantly improve the dynamics of Cyberspace in India in terms of reporting, grievance redressal, accountability and protection of digital rights and duties.

What is the Amendment?

The amendment comes as a key feature of cyberspace as the bill introduces fact-checking, a crucial aspect of relating information on various platforms prevailing in cyberspace. Misformation and disinformation were seen rising significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic, and fact-checking was more important than ever. This has been taken into consideration by the policymakers and hence has been incorporated as part of the Intermediary guidelines. The key features of the guidelines are as follows –

• The phrase “online game,” which is now defined as “a game that is offered on the Internet and is accessible by a user through a computer resource or an intermediary,” has been added.
• A clause has been added that emphasises that if an online game poses a risk of harm to the user, intermediaries and complaint-handling systems must advise the user not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update, or share any data related to that risky online game.
• A proviso to Rule 3(1)(f) has been added, which states that if an online gaming intermediary has provided users access to any legal online real money game, it must promptly notify its users of the change, within 24 hours.
• Sub-rules have been added to Rule 4 that focus on any legal online real money game and require large social media intermediaries to exercise further due diligence. In certain situations, online gaming intermediaries:

• Are required to display a demonstrable and obvious mark of verification of such online game by an online gaming self-regulatory organisation on such permitted online real money game
• Will not offer to finance themselves or allow financing to be provided by a third party.
• Verification of real money online gaming has been added to Rule 4-A.

• The Ministry may name as many self-regulatory organisations for online gaming as it deems necessary for confirming an online real-money game.
• Each online gaming self-regulatory body will prominently publish on its website/mobile application the procedure for filing complaints and the appropriate contact information.
• After reviewing an application, the self-regulatory authority may declare a real money online game to be a legal game if it is satisfied that:

• There is no wagering on the outcome of the game.
• Complies with the regulations governing the legal age at which a person can engage into a contract.
• The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 have a new rule 4-B (Applicability of certain obligations after an initial period) that states that the obligations of the rule under rules 3 and 4 will only apply to online games after a three-month period has passed.
• According to Rule 4-C (Obligations in Relation to Online Games Other Than Online Real Money Games), the Central Government may direct the intermediary to make necessary modifications without affecting the main idea if it deems it necessary in the interest of India’s sovereignty and integrity, the security of the State, or friendship with foreign States.
• Intermediaries, such as social media companies or internet service providers, will have to take action against such content identified by this unit or risk losing their “safe harbour” protections under Section 79 of the IT Act, which let intermediaries escape liability for what third parties post on their websites. This is problematic and unacceptable. Additionally, these notified revisions can circumvent the takedown order process described in Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000. They also violated the ruling in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015), which established precise rules for content banning.
• The government cannot decide if any material is “fake” or “false” without a right of appeal or the ability for judicial monitoring since the power to do so could be abused to thwart examination or investigation by media groups. Government takedown orders have been issued for critical remarks or opinions posted on social media sites; most of the platforms have to abide by them, and just a few, like Twitter, have challenged them in court.

Conclusion

The new rules briefly cover the aspects of fact-checking, content takedown by Govt, and the relevance and scope of sections 69A and 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Hence, it is pertinent that the intermediaries maintain compliance with rules to ensure that the regulations are sustainable and efficient for the future. Despite these rules, the responsibility of the netizens cannot be neglected, and hence active civic participation coupled with such efficient regulations will go a long way in safeguarding the Indian cyber ecosystem.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to grow in importance in today’s world not just as technological advancement but also becoming the backbone of economic growth, national security, scientific research, and digital governance. However, AI innovations of such a sophisticated kind require significant computing power that is currently only within the reach of a few countries. Against this backdrop, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have taken a significant step by partnering to build one of India's most powerful AI supercomputing infrastructures. What began as a discussion about digital infrastructure under the ambit of the new found India-UAE tech relationship, has come to a stage that is likely to usher in new AI-centric developments in the country, while bolstering the partnership between India and UAE.

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From Vision to Concrete Action

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This collaboration stemmed from the strengthening relationship between India and the UAE. The goal is to focus more on digital cooperation after the 2023 G20 Summit held in India. During this period, Artificial Intelligence, digital public infrastructure, and strong digital ecosystems became key topics of discussion between the two countries. This partnership received formal recognition with the India-UAE Digital Infrastructure Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2024. This agreement identified Artificial Intelligence, high-performance computing (HPC), cloud infrastructure, and digital innovation as priority areas for cooperation.

The initiative has now moved from policy talks to actual implementation. In February 2026, the UAE announced plans to deploy an 8-exaflop AI Super Computing Cluster in partnership between CDAC and in May 2026, when our Hon’ble Prime Minister visited UAE, both governments formalized the commercial framework for establishing the system, marking one of the largest AI infrastructure collaborations between the two countries. It was one the significant agendas discussed between the two countries among others.

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What Does the Agreement Include?

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The agreement between the countries is for the deployment of ‘Condor Galaxy India supercomputer’, which is an AI supercomputing cluster designed specifically for complex and advanced artificial intelligence workloads. Some of the major points of agreement include:

• Deployment of an 8 Exaflop Super Computing Cluster, meaning it can perform up to eight quintillion (8 × 10¹⁸) AI-related calculations per second. This would place it among the world's most powerful AI supercomputing systems.
• This project will be implemented by G42, which is an Abu Dhabi-based AI technology company, in partnership with India's Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
• The computing infrastructure will utilise 64 Cerebras CS-3 AI systems, built using wafer-scale processor technology designed for large AI models.
• G42 and C-DAC will jointly oversee installation, deployment, operation, and maintenance of the infrastructure.
• The supercomputer will support India's IndiaAI Mission, strengthening domestic AI research and innovation. It is also a step in the direction of India’ AI mission through mindful collaboration.
• Notably, the system will be physically located within India and operate under Indian governance frameworks and laws ensuring that sensitive datasets remain under India’s  jurisdiction.

While beyond the infrastructure, the partnership also aims for research efforts within fields like healthcare & genomics, climate change modeling & optimization of energy, geointelligence, research studies & government usages, as well as growing startups in AI. It is hoped that the computing infrastructure will be made accessible to researchers, academic bodies, government organizations & startups from both nations to foster collaborative research.

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How Are India and the UAE Collaborating?

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The partnership involves more than simply sharing the hardware, the two countries are entering into a multiyear technology partnership where each brings different but complementary expertise. On one hand India offers the knowledge and experience of C-DAC, a large number of AI engineers, startups, academics and researchers, and the IndiaAI Mission, a framework to enable access to the advanced computing infrastructure needed to use these researchers. 

In return, the UAE offers investment in AI infrastructure and expertise in global AI cloud infrastructure, and sovereign AI platform development, from AI cloud infrastructure company G42, a company that has deployed large AI computing clusters as part of the Condor Galaxy network.  Among the biggest names involved in the new initiative is also Cerebras Systems, the artificial intelligence (AI) computing company that will supply the AI chips for the supercomputer.  The leading designer of AI compute technology, Cerebras develops the world's fastest AI hardware. In particular, the flagship Wafer Scale Engine (WSE-3), a revolutionary single chip that is the largest AI processor in the world, offers significant gains in speed and computational efficiency. This partnership will spur a joint R&D effort. That allows both India and the UAE to harness their respective knowledge and resources to accelerate better results for all stakeholders in various domains.

This collaboration will enable joint research and development (R&D), allowing both countries to combine their expertise and resources to produce more effective outcomes that are mutually beneficial across multiple sectors.

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Cyber and Digital Security Benefits

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From a cybersecurity perspective, this partnership is particularly significant.

• Moving towards AI Sovereignty

Possessing the infrastructure within India can ensure that sensitive government, healthcare, research, and enterprise data remains within Indian jurisdiction. This will reduce dependence on foreign cloud infrastructure while improving regulatory control over sensitive and critical datasets.

• Modernising Cyber Defence

Having a high-performance computing system will improve our cyber defence through AI-based threat detection, malware flagging, vulnerability assessment and cyber testing of safeguarding critical infrastructure. These are necessary in current times considering the growing capabilities and mode of cyber attacks. 

• Secure AI Development

Countries worldwide are moving toward "Sovereign AI" which is a goal of developing AI systems within nationally governed infrastructure to protect sensitive information. The India-UAE partnership directly supports this objective by combining national governance and world-class computing capability development.

• Economic Benefits for India

The project offers several long-term economic advantages. First, easing the entry barrier for startups and researchers in India as they are often reliant on expensive overseas cloud computing services. Second, enabling availability of more computing power that can accelerate innovation across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, fintech, education, and logistics. Third, stronger AI computing infrastructure could foster the inflow of global capital into India’s tech ecosystem by provisioning requisite resources to run frontier AI computations. Finally, the initiative supports India's ambition of becoming a global AI innovation hub under the IndiaAI Mission by enabling domestic development of advanced AI models rather than relying solely on imported technologies that will in long-term make India a sought out destination as an AI-hub.

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Why the UAE Benefits?

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In the case of the UAE, the partnership further helps Abu Dhabi's vision to become a global leader in artificial intelligence by extending the reach of G42's AI capabilities internationally, while strengthening ties with one of the world’s leading digital economies as a trusted strategic technology partner. In harnessing India's extensive talent base, research communities, and growing AI capabilities, the UAE unlocks opportunities for scale and innovation, while also cementing its status as a dependable technological enabler across emerging economies. The project is a part of the UAE’s long-standing agenda to move away from hydrocarbons and towards growth in areas such as AI, digital infrastructure, and technologies of the future.

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Conclusion

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The India-UAE supercomputer collaboration is a step in the direction of being self-dependent in terms of having a strong computing infrastructure base in India. This also changes the outlook of  international technology partnerships  from traditional trade relationships to collaborations focused on AI, digital infrastructure, research, and strategic innovation. AI is becoming a defining factor in economic competitiveness and national resilience on a global scale and the access to sovereign computing infrastructure will increasingly shape our influence in world markets. By uniting UAE’s investment capacity and AI infrastructure expertise and India’s advantages. If successfully implemented, the collaboration could serve as a model of what cooperation toward sovereign and trusted AI can entail.

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REFERENCES

•  https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2006207&reg=48&lang=2 
•  https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2261385&reg=48&lang=1 
•  https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2261393&reg=48&lang=1

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Introduction 

India envisions reaching its goal of becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047. With a net-zero emissions target by 2070, it has already reduced GDP emission intensity by 36% (from 2005 to 2020) and is working towards a 45% reduction goal by 2030. This will help the country achieve economic growth while minimizing environmental impact, ensuring sustainable development for the future. The 2025 Union Budget prioritises energy security, clean energy expansion, and green tech manufacturing. Furthermore, India’s promotion of sustainability policies in startups, MSMEs, and clean tech shows its commitment to COP28 and SDGs. India’s key policy developments for sustainability and energy efficiency include the Energy Conservation Act (2022), PAT scheme, S&L scheme, and the Energy Conservation Building Code, driving decarbonization, energy efficiency, and a sustainable future.

India’s Policy and Regulatory Landscape 

The Indian law of Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act which was enacted in 2022 aims at enhancing energy efficiency while ensuring economic growth. It works on the aim of reducing emission intensity by 2030. The Act tackles regulatory, financial, and awareness barriers to promote energy-saving technologies. Next, the Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) Scheme improves cost-effective energy efficiency in energy-intensive industries through tradable energy-saving certificates. Adding on, the PLI Scheme boosts green manufacturing by attracting investments, both domestically and internationally. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) enforces Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and star ratings for appliances, guiding consumers toward energy-efficient choices. These initiatives collectively drive carbon reduction and sustainable energy use in India.

Growth of Energy-Efficient Technologies 

India has been making massive strides in its integration of renewable energy, such as solar and wind energies, mainly due to improvements in storage technologies. Another key development is the real-time optimization of energy usage through smart grids and AI-driven energy management. The EV and green mobility boom has been charged through by the rapid expansion of charging infrastructure and the policy interventions to support the shift. The building of green building codes and IoT-driven energy management has led to building efficiency, and finally, the efforts for industrial energy optimisation have been met through AI/ML-driven demand-side management in heavy industries. 

Market Trends, Investment, and Industry Adoption 

The World Energy Investment Report 2024 (IEA) projects global energy investment to surpass $3 trillion, with $2 trillion allocated to clean energy. India’s clean energy investment reached $68 billion in 2023, a 40%+ rise from 2016-2020, with nearly 50% directed toward low-emission power, including solar PV. Investment is set to double by 2030 but needs a 20% further rise to meet climate goals.

India’s ESG push is driven by Net Zero 2070, SEBI’s BRSR mandates, and UN SDGs, with rising scrutiny on corporate governance. ESG-aligned investments are expanding, reinforcing sustainability. Meanwhile, energy efficiency in manufacturing minimizes waste and environmental impact, while digital transformation in energy management boosts renewable integration, grid reliability, and cost efficiency, ensuring a sustainable energy transition.

The Way Forward 

There are multiple implementation bottlenecks present for the active policies which include infrastructure paucity, financing issues and even the on-ground implementational challenges of the active policies. To combat these issues India needs to adopt measures for promoting public-private partnerships to scale energy-efficient solutions. Incentives for industries to adopt green technologies should be strengthened (tax exemptions and subsidies for specific periods), with increased R&D support and regulatory sandboxes to encourage adoption. Finally, the role of industries, policymakers and consumers needs to be in tandem to accelerate the efforts made towards a sustainable and green future for India. Emerging technologies play an important in bridging gaps and aim towards the adoption of global best practices for India.

References

• https://instituteofsustainabilitystudies.com/insights/lexicon/green-technologies-innovations-opportunities-challenges/
• https://powermin.gov.in/sites/default/files/The_Energy_Conservation_Amendment_Act_2022_0.pdf‍
• https://www.ibef.org/blogs/esg-investing-in-india-navigating-environmental-social-and-governance-factors-for-sustainable-growth