Govt finalising applicants for indigenous AI foundation model: MeitY Secretary S Krishnan

IndiaAI advisor Aakrit Vaish in conversation with MeitY secretary S Krishnan

India is in the final stages of selecting applicants for its first indigenous AI foundation model, IT ministry Secretary S Krishnan said on April 3.

The initiative, part of the IndiaAI Mission, received 67 proposals submitted, 20 for large language models (LLMs) and 47 for small language models (SLMs). Expert panels have reviewed the applications, and the final selection process is nearing completion, Krishnan said on the inaugural day of the Startup Mahakumbh event.

"Hopefully we are at final stages of picking our first winner in that process. We had almost 67 applications received in that round, of which about 20 were for large language models, 47 were for small language models, and I think our expert groups have skimmed through the whole thing, and they're presenting their findings very shortly so that we'd be able to make a final selection," Krishnan said.

The push for an Indian foundation model came after significant debate on whether the country should invest in building one, the secretary noted.

"There was a belief that we needn't waste the time and effort, and at that point it appeared as if it would be a very expensive proposition, and that it was not affordable for us to really build out a huge foundation model of our own," he noted.

However, consultations with industry and experts led to a consensus that India must develop its own AI models to ensure technological sovereignty, cater to multilingual needs, and address sector-specific challenges.

"DeepSeek, again, I think, reaffirmed the same point, that it, A, need not be so expensive, and B, you can build on something which is already there and make your model," he explained.

Beyond foundation models, Krishnan positioned AI as a transformative force for India, likening its impact to the Y2K moment, which propelled Indian IT globally.

"Quite honestly, as far as AI is concerned, I think, for India, it is a huge opportunity more than anything else. And in some ways, it could actually be the next Y2K moment, which is something that we've likened it to quite often," he said.

Unlike Western economies, which often view AI as a threat to jobs, Krishnan said that India sees it as an enabler for its youth, given the country’s strong STEM talent base.

Looking ahead to 2025, Krishnan identified semiconductor innovation as a key policy focus, particularly in fostering a robust Indian fabless ecosystem.

"I think what we will do with the semiconductor ecosystem, specifically the innovator-led ecosystem, that is one thing which excites me, and I think we should push that forward and make sure that more Indian fabless companies should be supported," he stated.