India is making notable progress in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announcing plans to develop the country’s own foundational AI model within the coming months. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to position India as a leader in the AI revolution. Vaishnaw also shared that 18,693 graphics processing units (GPUs) have been enlisted under a shared computing facility to support the creation of essential infrastructure for AI development, according to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI).
The minister emphasized that this effort is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making modern technology accessible to all, ensuring that AI solutions are both affordable and widely accessible. To address international privacy concerns, Vaishnaw assured that AI services, including those linked to DeepSeek, will be hosted on Indian servers, ensuring data security remains under Indian control.
Establishing a National AI Infrastructure
India’s goal of developing its own AI model is supported by the creation of a strong computing infrastructure. By deploying 18,000 GPUs, India is setting the stage for an AI system tailored to the country’s unique linguistic, economic, and social needs. The establishment of AI data centers in Odisha will further enhance this infrastructure, ensuring the nation has the necessary resources to propel AI innovation.
The IndiaAI mission, approved by the Cabinet in March 2024, plays a central role in this initiative. With a budget of Rs 10,371.92 crore, the mission aims to build a scalable AI computing ecosystem that will support India’s rapidly expanding AI startups and research community. It also focuses on promoting public-private partnerships to advance AI research and development across the country.
Key Sectors Powered by AI Innovation
India's AI strategy primarily focuses on developing models designed for key sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and governance. Through the IndiaAI Innovation Centre, the country aims to create Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) that tackle sector-specific challenges, driving AI solutions that significantly contribute to national development.
Additionally, the IndiaAI Datasets Platform is a major initiative that will offer researchers and startups seamless access to high-quality, non-personal datasets. This platform is set to play a crucial role in speeding up AI innovation across various industries, enabling businesses to build applications tailored to India’s unique needs.
AI Marketplace and Public-Private Partnerships
The IndiaAI mission is also set to launch an AI marketplace offering AI as a service. This marketplace will feature pre-trained models for Indian innovators to integrate into their projects. Its goal is to make AI more accessible, encouraging wider adoption across industries and strengthening India’s AI ecosystem.
Earlier this month, a technical panel from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) met with 13 companies that submitted proposals to provide AI compute and cloud services for the IndiaAI Mission. This panel, which includes MeitY officials, the National Informatics Centre (NIC), and representatives from several IITs, will select the right partners to advance the mission.
Through these initiatives, India is positioning itself to become a global leader in AI, fostering a robust ecosystem that will support innovation and deliver solutions tailored to the country’s unique needs.
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