India's AI ambitions rooted in intent to build truly inclusive ecosystem: MeitY secretary

New Delhi [India], February 14 (ANI): Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a general-purpose technology whose true value lies in the breadth of its societal impact, said S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
"India is intentionally building an inclusive AI ecosystem that enables innovators, startups, researchers and public institutions to contribute to and benefit from this transformation. Through sustained investments in compute, data, skills, models and trusted governance frameworks, the IndiaAI Mission is lowering entry barriers and expanding participation across regions and sectors, with a clear focus on last-mile impact," the MeitY secretary said.
"This compendium brings together a shared global commitment to advancing AI in ways that strengthen economic growth, social inclusion and institutional resilience in a balanced, responsible and sustainable manner."
In a post on the Ministry's X handle, the Secretary notes that India's AI ambitions are rooted in the intent to build a truly inclusive AI ecosystem.
India's AI strategy is based on the Prime Minister's vision to democratise the use of technology. It aims to address India-centric challenges and create economic and employment opportunities for all Indians.
In March 2024, the Government of India launched the IndiaAI mission with an outlay of Rs 10,372 Cr for the development of the overall AI ecosystem in the country. In less than 24 months, India AI Mission has set up a foundation for the development of the AI ecosystem in the country:
More than 38 thousand GPUs for a common compute facility have been onboarded, which are being provided to Indian start-ups and academia at an affordable rate.
Twelve teams have been shortlisted for the development of indigenous foundational models or Large Language Models.
Thirty applications have been approved for developing India-specific AI applications.
More than 8000 undergraduate students, 5000 postgraduate students and 500 PhD students are being supported for talent development.
27 India Data and AI labs have been established and 543 more have been identified.
India is now set to host the India AI Impact Summit from February 16-20, 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, bringing together governments, industry leaders, researchers, startups, students, and citizens from across the world. (ANI)