IndiaAI Mission: India Government AI Strategy and National Vision

The IndiaAI Mission is a major government-led initiative aimed at positioning India as a global AI leader. With access to over 34,000 GPUs and support for more than 900 AI startups, India is creating a strong and future-ready AI system that supports new ideas while making sure it is fair and well-managed.

India is becoming a major force in artificial intelligence. With over 900 AI startups and a domestic AI market projected to reach $7.8 billion by 2025, the country is strategically positioning itself at the forefront of AI development and adoption. 

The Government of India has committed more than INR 10,300 crore (approximately $1.25 billion) over the next five years through the IndiaAI Mission, an ambitious initiative aimed at building world-class infrastructure, nurturing innovation, and ensuring the responsible use of AI technologies.

But what does it take for a nation to lead in AI while balancing innovation, ethics, and inclusion?

The IndiaAI Mission represents a comprehensive national strategy focused on seven foundational pillars. It integrates public-private collaboration, talent development, computing infrastructure, startup support, and international partnerships to create a robust, future-ready AI ecosystem. 

The IndiaAI Mission: A Cornerstone Initiative

The IndiaAI Mission is a transformative initiative that marks a significant step forward in developing India’s AI ecosystem. With a financial commitment exceeding INR 10,300 crore (approximately $1.25 billion) over the next five years, this mission aims to enhance infrastructure, foster innovation, and support startups within the AI sector.

Launched in March 2024, it is built upon seven foundational pillars, making it one of the most comprehensive government initiatives in India’s AI journey with an ambitious goal of establishing India as a global leader in artificial intelligence.

As part of this mission, the government has already enabled access to over 34,000 GPUs through public-private partnerships to address compute scarcity, an essential requirement for training advanced AI models. Additionally, the initiative has attracted more than 200 institutional partners and received over 200 proposals for foundational model development within just a few weeks of launch.

The landscape of AI in India benefits from a strategic blend of government-led infrastructure development and dynamic private sector innovation. The government’s targeted investments are designed to create a robust AI ecosystem. At the same time, private companies play a crucial role in advancing research, development, and the application of AI technologies across various sectors. This collaborative approach not only strengthens India’s position but also equips the nation to be a serious contender in the global AI arena.

IndiaAI Mission: Seven Pillars

The IndiaAI Mission³, initiated by the Government of India in March 2024, is thoughtfully designed around seven key pillars that focus on building a strong and inclusive AI ecosystem. These pillars serve as the foundation for fostering innovation, collaboration, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence across the nation.

Compute Capacity

This initiative focuses on developing a scalable AI computing infrastructure¹ designed to meet the increasing demands of AI research. It entails the establishment of a high-performance facility equipped with over 18,000 GPUs, ensuring affordable and efficient access to AI resources for startups and researchers, thereby fostering innovation and collaboration in the field.

Innovation Centre

The Innovation Centre is dedicated to the development of indigenous large multimodal models (LMMs) and foundational models that cater to specific domains. By empowering Indian researchers and startups, it fosters the creation of AI solutions²  designed to address the unique challenges and leverage the opportunities present in India.

Datasets Platform

This platform provides a centralised repository of non-personal datasets, significantly improving access to a wide range of high-quality data essential for training AI models across multiple sectors.

AI App Development Initiative

This initiative promotes the development of AI⁴ applications designed to address significant societal challenges. It prioritises the creation of innovative solutions in healthcare, agriculture, governance, and climate change, ultimately enhancing the country's socio-economic landscape.

Future Ready Skills

To build a future-ready AI workforce, this initiative focuses on enhancing AI education⁵ and training by setting up AI Data Labs in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. It offers foundational courses and fellowships⁶ designed explicitly for B.Tech and M.Tech. 

Students, while also collaborating with organisations like OpenAI, are offering multilingual training materials, ensuring accessibility for a broader audience. This approach aims to empower a diverse range of learners and foster innovation in the field of AI⁷.

AI Startup Financing

This initiative aims to empower deep-tech AI startups by facilitating easier access to funding. It features the IndiaAI Startups Global Acceleration Program, which provides valuable mentorship, opportunities for market expansion, and fosters collaborations with venture capital firms to invest in promising AI ventures.

Safe & Trusted AI

This pillar focuses on fostering ethical AI development by designing customised tools and frameworks that cater to India's rich and varied social, cultural, and linguistic context. Notable initiatives include the establishment of the IndiaAI⁷ Safety Institute and various responsible AI projects⁸ aimed at reducing bias, improving transparency, and performing thorough algorithm audits.

These foundational pillars collaboratively strengthen India's position as a global leader in AI by fostering innovation, championing ethical practices, and ensuring that AI resources are accessible to everyone throughout the nation.

Strategic Response to Global Competition

In January 2025, just ten days following the launch of DeepSeek-R1, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) took a proactive step by soliciting proposals for India's foundation models, large AI frameworks adaptable to a variety of applications. This swift initiative reflects the government's dedication to ensuring that India remains competitive in the global AI landscape.

Within just two weeks, MeitY received 67 proposals, and by mid-March 2025, that number had increased threefold. This robust response highlights the immense potential within India's AI ecosystem, which is ready to flourish with the proper policy support and infrastructure development in place.

Compute Infrastructure Development

Through this arrangement, MeitY suddenly had access to nearly 19,000 GPUs at subsidised rates, repurposed from private infrastructure and explicitly allocated to foundational AI projects. This public-private partnership model represents an innovative approach to addressing compute scarcity, a critical bottleneck in AI development.

Under its compute program, the government is deploying more than 18,000 GPUs, including nearly 13,000 high-end H100 chips, to a select group of Indian startups that currently includes Sarvam, Upperwal's Soket Labs, Gnani AI, and Gan AI.

National AI Strategy Framework

India's national strategy on artificial intelligence (AI) is the pursuit of a delicate balance between fostering innovation and mitigating risk. The government has adopted what experts term a "pro-innovation governance approach" that emphasises enabling rather than restricting AI development.

At the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence Summit, which was also hosted by India, the concept of "collaborative AI" was formulated, wherein member states agreed to promote equitable access to AI resources for the developing world.

Investment Commitment and Economic Impact

According to Abhishek Singh, CEO of IndiaAI and an officer with MeitY, India's broader push into deep tech is expected to raise around $12 billion in research and development investment over the next five years. This substantial commitment includes:

• $162 million through the IndiaAI Mission: With approximately $32 million earmarked for direct startup funding
• $730 million from the National Quantum Mission: Supporting quantum research initiatives
• $1.2 billion Deep Tech Fund of Funds: Catalysing early-stage innovation in the private sector
• $9.9 billion from private and international sources: Including corporate R&D, venture capital, and global technology partnerships

International Cooperation and Diplomatic Engagement

The second India-France AI Policy Roundtable, which took place alongside the AI Action Summit 2025 in Paris, highlights India's proactive stance on fostering international collaboration in the governance and advancement of artificial intelligence.

The collaboration between IndiaAI and Microsoft exemplifies a promising initiative aimed at leveraging the transformative potential of AI for inclusive development and economic growth. This partnership underscores the importance of strategic alliances in accelerating the adoption of AI technologies.

The government's approach demonstrates a thoughtful recognition that achieving AI sovereignty is best accomplished through cooperative efforts, while also emphasising the significance of maintaining local capabilities and values.

Governance and Global Position

• Pro-Innovation Regulation: India's national AI strategy focuses on fostering innovation rather than imposing restrictions. It promotes a "pro-innovation governance approach" that seeks to strike a balance between risk and reward in digital policy, encouraging a thriving environment for technological advancement.
• Collaborative AI Vision: During the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) summit, India put forward the innovative concept of "collaborative AI." This initiative emphasises the importance of equitable access to resources and promotes the development of multilingual, sovereign AI models tailored for the Global South.

References:

1. https://indiaai.gov.in/hub/indiaai-compute-capacity
2. https://indiaai.gov.in/article/building-india-s-foundational-ai-models-indiaai-innovation-initiative
3. https://www.studyiq.com/articles/india-ai-mission/?srsltid=AfmBOopNftt_8kWugOfRtiKHWQe0By0jwfYSUpR_ReXqru6lSknA5H4w
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence_in_India
5. https://ssbcrackexams.com/indiaai-mission
6. https://indiaai.gov.in/article/proforma-for-submission-of-nominations-for-indiaai-fellowship-under-the-indiaai-mission
7. https://indiaai.gov.in/news/selected-projects-for-responsible-ai-themed-projects-under-safe-trusted-ai-pillar
8. https://www.newsonair.gov.in/indiaai-mission-selects-eight-responsible-ai-projects-under-safe-and-trusted-ai-pillar