Artificial Intelligence – Tripura Unveils Plan for First State AI Policy
Artificial Intelligence – Tripura is preparing to roll out a comprehensive artificial intelligence policy with support from national institutions, marking what the state government describes as a pioneering step at the state level in India.
Chief Minister Manik Saha announced the decision on Thursday while inaugurating the Tripura State Innovation Mission at the International Exhibition Centre in Hapania, Agartala. The event was attended by Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, along with senior officials and policy leaders.
AI Policy to Guide Smart Governance
Addressing the gathering, Saha said the proposed artificial intelligence framework would be developed with assistance from the Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Aayog. He described it as a first-of-its-kind initiative among Indian states, aimed at integrating AI tools into governance and public services.
Agartala, which has been designated as a smart city, will serve as the starting point for AI-driven urban management systems. According to the Chief Minister, these solutions are expected to improve traffic regulation, parking management, electricity distribution, drinking water supply, flood monitoring, waste management, and property assessment systems. Several technology firms have shown interest in collaborating with the state to deploy AI-based applications in public administration.
Launch of India’s First State-Level Innovation Mission
The Tripura State Innovation Mission, unveiled at the event, has been positioned as India’s first dedicated state-level innovation framework of its kind. Saha noted that such an initiative was once difficult to imagine for the northeastern state but is now becoming a reality through institutional collaboration and policy reform.
He highlighted that Tripura has implemented wide-ranging administrative and business reforms in recent years. The state operates a fully paperless government system, from the Cabinet and State Secretariat down to village councils and Gram Panchayats. The shift to digital governance, he said, has improved transparency and service delivery while opening new economic opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
The mission aims to build a localized innovation ecosystem tailored to Tripura’s strengths. By encouraging start-ups and enterprises to adopt advanced technologies, the state hopes to translate new ideas into viable business ventures.
Partnerships with Leading Institutions
To establish the innovation framework, the Tripura Institution for Transformation and the Department of Information Technology have collaborated with premier academic and industry bodies, including Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, and T-Hub.
Under this framework, T-NEST has been set up as the operational arm of the State Innovation Mission. It is designed to connect academic campuses with markets and investors, ensuring that innovative concepts receive financial and technical support. T-NEST will also be linked to a proposed incubation and innovation park at Chandmari, near the upcoming Airtel data center.
Innovation centers are planned across all eight districts of the state and will be integrated with T-NEST. The government also intends to introduce District Innovator Fellowships to encourage grassroots innovation and support local problem-solvers.
Expanding the Technology Ecosystem
Looking ahead, the state government is working to establish a Tripura AI Centre of Excellence with assistance from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The center is expected to promote research, training, and capacity-building in artificial intelligence applications.
Plans are also underway to develop a dedicated IT and Data Economic Zone to strengthen the IT and IT-enabled services sector. An IT park offering co-working facilities is proposed to attract software companies and data-driven enterprises to the state.
Saha emphasized that Tripura’s strategic location in the Northeast positions it as a potential bridge between India’s economic growth and emerging Southeast Asian markets. By investing in technology infrastructure and innovation-led growth, the state aims to create employment opportunities and support sustainable development.
The launch event was attended by senior policymakers, including Suman Bery and V.K. Saraswat, along with state ministers and administrative officials.