India plans to use AI for immediate detection of grid risk, cyber security, and market surveillance.

y threats as grid digitalization deepens. The national grid is increasingly interconnected with regional markets, gas pipelines, cross-border trade platforms, and financial derivatives tied to electricity, creating new vectors of risk. AI will be deployed to monitor behavioral patterns of market participants holding simultaneous positions in physical power, fuel supply, and financial contracts, to detect possible manipulative behavior or insider collusion. Additionally, AI-driven threat hunting, anomaly detection, and behavioral analytics will be introduced to combat malware or coordinated cyberattacks on supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.

“We are seeing the threat perimeter blur — a cyber-attack or price manipulation at one node can ripple across the system in seconds. AI will be essential to watch for patterns humans can’t spot in real time,” said Saxena. He acknowledged that AI deployment at grid scale brings its own risks, especially around false positives, bias, and over-reliance on automated decisions. To address this, the government is preparing a national AI assurance framework for critical infrastructure, mandating explainable AI models, human-in-the-loop oversight, and clear escalation protocols for grid operations.

There are also plans to upskill system operators and control room engineers in data science, AI ethics, and algorithmic risk management to ensure trust and accountability in decision-making. The framework will draw on best practices from the EU’s AI Act and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Other industry experts warned that India’s grid is entering a new era of operational complexity driven by massive solar and wind additions, rooftop and behind-the-meter generation, electric vehicle load spikes, and green hydrogen clusters.

“Managing a 500 GW+ renewables-heavy grid will be impossible without machine-speed situational awareness. AI will not be optional — it will be the backbone,” said a senior power sector executive on the panel. The planned AI integration signals a paradigm shift, positioning India’s grid not just as a physical network of wires and generators, but as a data-rich, intelligent system able to self-diagnose and self-correct in real time.

In conclusion, India’s move to deploy AI for real-time grid risk detection, cyber security, and market surveillance represents a significant step forward in ensuring the reliability and security of its rapidly transforming power system. By integrating AI into its national electricity grid operations, India is preparing to address the growing complexity of its system and adapt to the challenges posed by renewable energy expansion. This strategic shift towards AI as a core reliability and security layer showcases India’s commitment to leveraging advanced technologies for efficient and proactive grid management. With the planned deployment of AI, India aims to enhance its capabilities in detecting and mitigating risks, ensuring the resilience and stability of its grid in the face of evolving threats and operational challenges.