India's AI Mission: Government Receives 187 Proposals for Indigenous AI Foundation Models

The Centre’s ambitious AI initiative has attracted strong interest from researchers and startups, resulting in the submission of 187 proposals aimed at developing indigenous large language models (LLMs) tailored to the nation's linguistic and contextual needs.

India’s AI mission: Government receives 187 proposals for domestic AI foundation models| MSN

Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary at MeitY, highlighted that the government issued a call for proposals to build foundation models on January 30. By February 15, it had received 67 initial proposals, with another 120 submissions arriving by March 15.

“We believe we need a foundation model trained on Indian datasets, in Indian languages, and understanding Indian contexts,” he said. The initiative is part of the broader India AI mission, approved last year and implemented across seven strategic pillars.

He delivered a speech at the Nano Electronics Roadshow and Conference on Semiconductor Ecosystem, organized by the Nanotechnology Initiatives Division of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in collaboration with IISc and five IITs—Bombay, Madras, Delhi, Kharagpur, and Guwahati.

The event gathered over 700 industry leaders, policymakers, and academics, underscoring India's strategic commitment to building a self-reliant semiconductor ecosystem. Supported by six advanced nanoelectronics centers at prestigious institutions like IISc and IITs, the roadshow showcased over 100 intellectual properties, 50 cutting-edge technologies, and innovations from 35 emerging startups.

A key highlight was the presentation of 48 advanced technology demonstrations by students from Nano Centres, illustrating the transition of academic research into real-world applications.

Singh further noted that computational limitations, historically a major obstacle for AI research in India, are being tackled through strategic investments. The semiconductor mission and chip design initiatives aim to lower model training costs in the long run. The government is currently reviewing the first set of proposals, with funding decisions expected soon.

Earlier today, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan spoke to research and industry representatives, stating, “There has been a lot of indigenisation but I’m unhappy. If you talk about a launch vehicle, 90% of it is indigenous and 10% is imported, and out of that 10% imported items, 90% is electronics. You must have a roadmap to ensure that this drops to under 10%.”

MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan emphasized the ministry’s objectives, including the creation of a semiconductor-ready workforce comprising 85,000 professionals. He highlighted that India’s semiconductor market, currently valued at $45-50 billion, is expected to grow to $100-110 billion by 2030.

“Every Indian is a stakeholder in this mission,” Krishnan highlighted that approximately 70-75% of investments in major semiconductor facilities come from taxpayer funds. He also noted that India is home to 20% of the global semiconductor design workforce.

The event also enabled the establishment of four significant MoUs between academic institutions and industry partners, fostering collaborations between IISc and technology firms such as KAS Technologies and Antigone Solutions Private Limited.

(This Article was originally published by MSN)