India is witnessing a major transformation in artificial intelligence (AI), with the government actively fostering an ecosystem that promotes innovation, accessibility, and self-reliance. For the first time, AI infrastructure—previously controlled by big tech companies—is being made widely available to researchers, startups, and students. Through initiatives like the IndiaAI Mission, GPU access programs, and indigenous AI model development, India is building a strong foundation for AI growth that is both inclusive and globally competitive.
IndiaAI Mission: Building the future of AI
A major step in India's AI strategy is the IndiaAI Mission, which was approved in 2024 with a budget of ₹10,300 crore. This funding, spread over five years, aims to create an advanced AI ecosystem in India. The mission is supported by a high-end common computing facility and is working toward developing indigenous AI solutions tailored to India’s needs, including models trained in Indian languages. The project has already begun with 10,000 GPUs, with the remaining 8,693 GPUs set to be added soon.
Expanding GPU infrastructure
One of the key challenges in AI development is access to high-performance computing. The government has taken a significant step by establishing a common computing facility with 18,693 GPUs, making it one of the largest in the world. Unlike in other countries where AI research is controlled by big corporations, India is opening up its GPU marketplace to startups, researchers, and students. The government is also working on developing its own GPU within the next three to five years, further strengthening India’s AI independence.
AI Dataset Platform: Powering AI innovation
AI research relies on high-quality datasets, and India is addressing this need through the IndiaAI Dataset Platform. This initiative is creating a unified data platform that provides startups and researchers with access to high-quality, non-personal datasets. By making anonymized data available, the platform will accelerate AI-driven innovation in various fields, from healthcare to governance.
AI Centres of Excellence
Specialized AI Centres of Excellence (CoE) will focus on key areas such as healthcare, agriculture, sustainable cities, and education. The first three centres were launched in 2023, while this year’s Budget announced an additional centre for AI in education with an outlay of ₹500 crore. In addition, five national centres for AI skilling will be established to train India’s youth with industry-relevant AI expertise.
Indigenous AI models and language technology
India is also making rapid progress in developing its own foundational AI models. Digital India BHASHINI is an AI-led language translation platform designed to provide internet and digital services in Indian languages, including voice-based access. Another key initiative, BharatGen, is the world’s first government-funded multimodal AI model aimed at improving public service delivery through AI-driven language, speech, and computer vision capabilities.
The Sarvam-1 AI model has been developed specifically for Indian languages, supporting ten major languages and helping with tasks such as language translation, text summarization, and content creation. Similarly, Chitralekha is an open-source video transcreation platform that enables users to generate and edit audio transcripts in multiple Indic languages.
Another significant development is Everest 1.0 by SML’s Hanooman, a multilingual AI system supporting 35 Indian languages, with plans to expand to 90 in the near future.
The road ahead
With a strong policy framework, robust GPU infrastructure, open data access, and indigenous AI models, India is positioning itself as a global leader in AI innovation. By ensuring that AI development is inclusive and widely accessible, the government is not only boosting technological growth but also creating new opportunities for research, startups, and businesses. In the coming years, India’s AI ecosystem will continue to grow, making AI a key driver of economic and social transformation.
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