IndiaAI Mission Receives Over 500 Proposals to Build Foundational AI Models
India’s bold mission to build its own AI infrastructure is gaining strong momentum. The IndiaAI Mission has now received 506 proposals across three phases to develop indigenous foundational models. This response reflects growing confidence and interest in India’s AI ambitions.
Due to this surge, the government extended the deadline for the third phase to April 30. Previously, the deadline had been fixed for the same month. Officials cited continued interest and participation as the reason behind the extension.
Developing India’s Own Foundational AI Models
Foundational models often rely on foreign datasets. These datasets may not align with Indian languages, cultures, or real-world conditions. To address this, the IndiaAI Mission was launched in March 2024 with a five-year budget of Rs. 10,372 crore. The goal is to develop AI models that represent and serve the Indian population.
So far, 67 proposals were submitted in the first round, followed by 120 in the second. In the latest announcement, the mission confirmed that one startup has already been selected to begin developing an Indian foundational model. More approvals are expected to follow.
Also read: India Moves to Fix AI Infrastructure Gap with National Datacentre Push
Supercomputing and Safety Are Key Pillars
Beyond model development, the mission also focuses on infrastructure. Earlier this week, bids were received for 18,000 GPUs. However, only 15,000 will be allocated during the second round of distribution. These GPUs will power India’s AI research and development projects across various sectors.
Additionally, the government has launched the IndiaAI Safety Institute. Its goal is to ensure that AI tools used in India are secure, ethical, and inclusive. The institute will monitor and guide the responsible deployment of AI technologies in the country.
India’s efforts to build a sovereign AI ecosystem continue to attract global attention. As proposals grow, so does the nation’s readiness to lead in ethical, culturally aligned artificial intelligence.
