India is set to launch its first homegrown AI foundational model within the next 10 months, according to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The announcement was made at the India Today-Business Today Budget Round-Table 2025, marking a significant step in India's artificial intelligence ambitions. This initiative aims to bolster India's position in the global AI landscape, which is currently dominated by the US and China.
Vaishnaw emphasized the government's dedication to AI development through the India AI Mission, which was approved last year with a budget of ₹10,000 crore. The mission seeks to make AI technology and computing power accessible to researchers, startups, and academic institutions, enabling them to contribute actively to the field.
A major focus of this initiative is the expansion of computing infrastructure. Vaishnaw revealed that India has already established a network of 18,000 high-end GPUs, with 10,000 available for AI development. These resources will be accessible to researchers, universities, and startups, aiming to lower financial barriers to AI innovation.
"The first and most critical requirement for building AI models is compute power," said Vaishnaw. "Either people with deep pockets buy it, or we create a structure where the government ensures it is accessible to everyone."
By providing shared compute resources, the government intends to democratise AI development, similar to the Digital India programme. This system will enable Indian institutions to develop foundational AI models, which serve as the base for applications like generative AI, machine learning tools, and automation technologies.
With a completion timeline set at an "outer limit" of 10 months, India is advancing in a sector that is crucial for economic growth and technological self-reliance.