New Delhi, February 18 Europe and India can build a strong partnership in artificial intelligence (AI) by focusing on real-world deployment rather than engaging in a technological arms race, said Brando Benifei, Member of the European Parliament, on Wednesday.
"The EU and India can have a strong partnership on AI. Why? Because we both concentrate on the applications of AI, on deploying AI," Benifei said at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
He said both sides share a similar perspective that prioritizes practical applications over competing to build the most powerful models.
Benifei emphasized the need for a cooperative, experience-based approach to AI development.
"We probably have a different approach, which is to build a more cooperative and experience-based development of AI," he said, adding that such collaboration could help move the debate beyond geopolitical competition.
He called on "middle powers" like Europe and India to create a network of cooperation aimed at ensuring trustworthy AI deployment that boosts productivity, expands opportunities, and reduces dependence on dominant global players.
"How can the so-called middle powers build a network of cooperation for a trustworthy deployment of AI that will boost productivity, increase opportunity, and build more autonomy from the risk of pressure coming from other actors? This will be a challenge, but I think it's a space for strong cooperation for Europe and India," he said.
Addressing the debate around innovation versus regulation, Benifei cautioned against delaying safeguards for emerging technologies.
He pointed to social media as an example of under-regulation. "We didn't regulate social media very much in the last decade. Now we are talking a lot about children protection and fighting misinformation, but we are doing it quite late," he said.
According to him, the absence of early guardrails has had lasting societal consequences.
"There is already a generation of young people that are brought up with the impact on their minds and on their ways of seeing society or interacting with technology without any rule," he said, adding that policymakers need to consider the risk of irreversible consequences if they fail to act in time.
While acknowledging that over-regulation could hamper innovation, Benifei stressed the importance of striking a balance. "It's a difficult topic, but let's always think of all the elements on the table," he said.
Meanwhile, Srinivas Mantripragada, Founder and CEO, MaayaAI, said that AI has significantly raised the bar for trust and safety. Companies now need built-in, multi-layered frameworks covering observability, security, controls, and most importantly continuous asset discovery.
With the rise of "Shadow AI" and rapid AI proliferation, assets are no longer static, he said.
According to him, organizations will have to automatically discover new AI systems, assess their risks in line with business priorities, and apply appropriate controls in real time. This cannot be a weekly or daily process, it must be continuous and dynamic.
