India is significantly boosting its artificial intelligence capabilities by building a robust high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure under the IndiaAI mission, ensuring equitable access to this vital resource for innovators and startups across the nation. This initiative aims to democratize AI development, enhance data quality, foster indigenous AI technologies, and promote ethical AI practices.
The IndiaAI mission, launched with a budget of ₹10,372 crore (approximately $1.2 billion USD) for the period of 2024-2029, seeks to propel India to the forefront of global AI leadership. A key objective is to establish a robust AI computing infrastructure to support the development and testing of AI systems. This includes creating a scalable AI computing ecosystem to meet the increasing demands of India's growing AI startup and research communities.
A cornerstone of the IndiaAI mission is the creation of a state-of-the-art AI compute infrastructure with over 10,000 GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) through public-private partnerships. As of late August 2025, IndiaAI's cluster has surpassed 38,000 units, solidifying its position among the leading national AI compute platforms globally. The mission surpassed its initial GPU procurement target of 10,000 units long ago. In the latest expansion, approximately 3,850 processing units are being added, including 1,050 Google Trillium TPUs (Tensor Processing Units) for the first time, enhancing the country's deep learning compute capacity.
The HPC infrastructure will be accessible to startups, students, researchers, and academic institutions, providing them with world-class resources at scale. The Union Minister of Electronics & IT has announced that eligible users can access AI compute at a reduced cost of up to 40% under the IndiaAI Mission. This move aims to lower the barrier to entry for smaller businesses and promote the "Make AI in India, for India" initiative.
The IndiaAI mission comprises seven key pillars:
- IndiaAI Compute Capacity: Creating a scalable AI computing ecosystem with over 10,000 GPUs through public-private partnerships.
- IndiaAI Innovation Centre: Developing indigenous Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) and foundational models for various sectors.
- IndiaAI Datasets Platform: Providing seamless access to quality non-personal datasets for startups and researchers. The AI Kosha platform has already uploaded 367 datasets.
- IndiaAI Application Development Initiative: Promoting AI applications in critical sectors by addressing problem statements from various ministries, departments, and institutions.
- IndiaAI Startup Financing: Supporting and accelerating deep-tech AI startups by providing streamlined access to funding.
- IndiaAI FutureSkills: Increasing AI courses at undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. levels and establishing Data and AI Labs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
- Safe & Trusted AI: Ensuring responsible AI development, deployment, and adoption through guidelines and governance frameworks.
The mission also focuses on developing indigenous AI capabilities and reducing reliance on foreign AI models. By creating native AI solutions customized for the Indian context and using Indian languages, the IndiaAI mission aims to promote digital sovereignty and inclusivity. Furthermore, the mission prioritizes AI applications that serve all sections of society, including rural, academic, and underserved communities.
To address concerns regarding the ethical implications of AI, the IndiaAI mission emphasizes the development of safety frameworks and standards to build public trust and promote responsible AI adoption. This includes adopting a "techno-legal" approach to AI governance, using technological interventions backed by legal mechanisms to solve emerging risks such as deepfakes, misinformation, and algorithmic bias.
