Vikas Kanungo, June 01, 2025
India is stepping up its efforts to create homegrown AI foundation models, adding three new teams—Soket AI, Gan AI, and Gnani AI—to an ambitious national initiative. These teams will join Sarvam AI, which was selected earlier, to develop large-scale AI models that understand and reflect India’s unique cultural, linguistic, and sectoral needs. This move is part of the IndiaAI Mission, a national strategy to ensure India is not just a consumer of AI solutions but also a global innovator. To back this ambition, the Ministry of Electronics and IT has significantly expanded computational capacity, offering 34,000 GPUs to startups and researchers—an unprecedented boost that will help power the next wave of AI innovation across agriculture, healthcare, governance, and other priority sectors.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stressed that this expanded compute capacity—along with the growing AI Kosh dataset repository—will be a game changer for India’s AI ecosystem. “Whichever sector these teams focus on, they must aim to be in the top five globally,” he remarked, underscoring the country’s intention to lead in AI development, not just catch up. This selection marks a major milestone in India’s ongoing AI journey. By investing in indigenous solutions, the government aims to ensure AI models are aligned with local realities and can better serve India’s diverse population.
Author’s Take
India’s decision to bolster its AI foundation with indigenous talent and computing muscle sends a clear message: the future of AI in India will be homegrown, relevant, and globally competitive. This approach, focused on strategic sectors and supported by strong policy direction, is exactly what’s needed to move beyond pilots and into scalable, real-world applications. For countries like India, building a solid AI backbone isn’t just about tech—it’s about empowerment, innovation, and long-term resilience. From a policymaking perspective, this move signals India’s intent to shape the global AI narrative on its own terms. It underscores the shift from a reactive to a proactive AI strategy—one that leverages indigenous capabilities, prioritizes inclusivity, and positions India as a responsible AI leader. As these AI foundation models evolve, it will be critical for policymakers to ensure that ethical guardrails, data privacy, and equitable access remain central to this AI journey—so that the benefits of AI are truly transformative and inclusive.
