TLDR: The Digital India Foundation (DIF) has strongly objected to the Pakistan AI Technology Centre’s (AITeC) application for membership in the AI Alliance Network (AIANET). DIF, a founding member of AIANET, cites significant national security risks, Pakistan’s history with terrorism, and its military-dominated AI initiatives as reasons for its opposition, warning that AITeC’s inclusion could compromise the network’s credibility and shared values.
New Delhi, India – The Digital India Foundation (DIF), a prominent think tank and a founding member of the AI Alliance Network (AIANET), has voiced strong opposition to the Pakistan AI Technology Centre’s (AITeC) bid for membership in the global AI consortium. In a letter addressed to AIANET leadership on July 11, 2025, DIF highlighted grave concerns regarding national security, ethical oversight, and the potential weaponization of artificial intelligence by Pakistan.
AIANET, established following the BRICS Summit in late 2024, is envisioned as a multilateral coalition of AI research institutions committed to the ethical, transparent, and peaceful development of artificial intelligence. Its mandate includes fostering collaboration in civilian AI research, safeguarding against dual-use risks, and setting global benchmarks for responsible innovation. DIF argues that AITeC’s inclusion would fundamentally undermine these core principles.
The primary objections raised by DIF center on Pakistan’s AI ecosystem, which the foundation asserts lacks institutional accountability, suffers from weak legal safeguards, and is heavily influenced by military-led initiatives. The Pakistan Air Force’s Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Computing (CENTAIC), for instance, prioritizes defense applications over civilian innovation, a stance that directly contradicts AIANET’s civilian-first charter.
Dr. Arvind Gupta, Co-founder and Head of the Digital India Foundation, stated, “The membership application of AITeC should be seen as Pakistan’s way of gaining access to our R&D and technology with the aim of weaponizing AI through their specialized labs. We need to ensure that this does not happen.” DIF specifically flagged several of AITeC’s labs, including those focused on autonomous AI and decision support, computer vision, and software optimization for edge computing. These capabilities, DIF warns, could be easily redirected toward offensive cyber operations, cross-border attacks, and autonomous targeting systems.
Furthermore, DIF underscored Pakistan’s history of harboring terrorist groups and its ongoing scrutiny by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for systemic support of terrorism. The foundation cited the 2025 US Country Reports on Terrorism, which highlight the risk of AI tools being exploited by Pakistan-based groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The absence of enforceable data protection laws and independent oversight mechanisms in Pakistan further exacerbates these concerns, contrasting sharply with the governance structures prevalent among existing AIANET members.
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“These technologies, in the hands of a state apparatus with a history of harbouring terrorist groups and undermining regional stability, pose an unacceptable security risk,” DIF stated, urging all AIANET members to reject AITeC’s application in full to protect the network’s credibility, security, and shared values.
