Statistical system may get AI overhaul, data to be treated as asset: MoSPI Secy

New Delhi: India is eyeing a sweeping modernisation of its statistical architecture, with plans to embed artificial intelligence across official data systems, build a national business register and explore recognising data as an economic asset, a top official has said.

The initiative marks the next phase of the government's efforts to upgrade economic data after revisions to the base years of key indicators including gross domestic product (GDP), the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

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The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has constituted a separate sub-committee to examine the implementation of the United Nations System of National Accounts (SNA) 2025, its secretary Saurabh Garg told ET in an interview.

"The committee will focus on the technical aspects of the overall framework including treating data as an asset and assess how best it can be adapted and implemented in the Indian context," he said.

The SNA 2025 recognises data as an asset.

Going forward, Garg said, the focus will be on strengthening the statistical system further by integrating alternative and non-traditional data sources and progressing towards the SNA framework in the next base revision.

"The ministry is working on an Index of Service Production, expected to be released by July, to provide timely insights into key services sectors such as trade, transport, financial services, and IT. Integration of AI, machine learning and big data into official statistics will remain a key focus, along with harmonisation of administrative datasets," he said.

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The government has already initiated establishment of a Data Innovation Lab and collaborations with multiple stakeholders to develop practical use cases, he said.

Ensuring data quality is a top priority for the government, Garg said.

"The data collected also goes through multiple layers of scrutiny and validation. Before every National Sample Survey, field officials receive extensive training on survey concepts, schedules, and digital data collection tools, with continuous guidance and clarifications provided during the survey period to address field-level queries," he said, allaying concerns about quality of data collection.

MoSPI, he noted, is giving high priority to harmonising administrative data across states and union territories to ensure interoperability, integration readiness, and suitability for AI-based applications.

It is working with states and UTs to strengthen local statistical systems under a revamped Support for Statistical Strengthening Scheme, with a long-term vision of every state and UT to operate a fully integrated, high-frequency statistical system by 2047.

As an intermediate step, the ministry plans to launch a state-wise indicator dashboard on its e-Sankhyiki platform that will allow users to access and compare socioeconomic indicators across states from a single interface.

Garg also highlighted efforts to create state-level data exchange portals where datasets are generated at the source and managed through fully automated systems from production to dissemination, enabling seamless data sharing and reuse.

MoSPI is also working on a National Statistical Business Register that aims to establish a comprehensive database of business establishments in the country.