TNS, Bhubaneswar, Odisha: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday announced at the Black Swan Summit India 2026 that Odisha’s BharatNetra initiative will skill millions in AI-fintech. This will further position India as a global leader in inclusive digital finance while urging ethical AI adoption and cybersecurity for all.
The two-day conclave, co-organized by the Odisha government and Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), drew nearly 1,500 delegates from 24 countries and 100 speakers from five continents. Discussions covered AI-fintech innovation, sustainable finance, digital public infrastructure, and SME empowerment, positioning Odisha as a global fintech hub. BharatNetra aims to build a future-ready workforce in digital, financial, and insurtech sectors through skilling programs, including partnerships with Singapore to train students like the initial 320 at Bhubaneswar’s Skill Development Institute.
President Murmu highlighted India’s fintech revolution, noting over 57 crore Jan Dhan accounts. Out of this, about 56% held by women, enabling direct welfare benefits and digital payments for farmers and small shops. She stressed evaluating fintech products for women’s leadership roles and skilling rural, tribal citizens to counter challenges like cybersecurity and frauds, urging digital literacy in schools.
“In the past 11 years, more than 57 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened across the country which is a revolution in access, trust and wide participation of people. Today, with a simple smartphone and a basic bank account, a woman receives welfare benefits directly in her account, a farmer receives payments on time and a small kirana shop accepts digital payments from any customer. For them, “fintech” is not a technical term, it has become their lifeline,” President Murmu remarked.
On AI, she referenced the IndiaAI Mission and upcoming India AI Impact Summit, praising Odisha’s adoption in governance, healthcare, and agriculture.
India’s push, as the fastest-growing major economy eyeing third-largest status, aligns with Viksit Bharat by 2047, fostering multipolar innovation ecosystems attractive to Global South partners. Odisha’s I-GFTCH hub could enhance BRICS+ digital finance ties, creating jobs and global capability centers amid US-led tech shifts under President Trump.
The President said that fintech does not guarantee inclusion on its own. There continue to be citizens, especially in remote, tribal, and rural areas, who are not conversant with the digital tools. Skilling them is very important to make them participants in the development journey. Only then, fintech can become an engine of inclusion, employment generation and promotion of entrepreneurship. She urged entrepreneurs and innovators to ensure that technology becomes a tool for social justice and inclusion.
The President said that technology has a huge potential for making positive impact on all sectors of economy and all sections of society. However, at times it can be misused for financial frauds. It is pertinent to enhance awareness among people to be vigilant and alert to prevent such frauds. The Government of India has undertaken various measures to prevent and report such frauds including setting up of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System and Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre. Ensuring digital and financial literacy is essential to deter online financial fraud. It needs to be made part of school curricula so that the advantages and disadvantages of technology can be understood at a young age.
This positions India to lead ethical AI and inclusive fintech, countering Western dominance while boosting entrepreneurship in the emerging markets.
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