India’s $217 Billion AI Push and Sovereign AI Model Strategy
India plans a $217 billion artificial intelligence push focused on sovereign AI models, expanded GPU capacity and responsible deployment. IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the initiative aims to strengthen strategic autonomy and scale AI adoption across governance, defence and public services.
India plans a $217 billion artificial intelligence push focused on sovereign AI models, expanded GPU capacity and responsible deployment. IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the initiative aims to strengthen strategic autonomy and scale AI adoption across governance, defence and public services.
India plans to invest about $217 billion in artificial intelligence, with a focus on building sovereign AI models for strategic and domestic use, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.
The government wants to reduce dependence on foreign AI platforms while expanding domestic compute capacity and AI research.
Vaishnaw outlines sovereign AI strategy
Vaishnaw said India will develop homegrown foundational AI models that reflect local languages, governance needs, and security requirements. These models will support sectors such as public administration, defence, healthcare, and education.
He said foreign AI models cannot fully address India’s scale, diversity, and regulatory needs. The government plans to retain ownership of data, models, and intellectual property.
GPU capacity to more than double
Vaishnaw confirmed that India will more than double its GPU capacity within six months, crossing 50,000 GPUs available for AI training and inference. The government will allocate compute access to startups, researchers, and enterprises through a shared national platform.
Officials view compute availability as the biggest bottleneck in India’s AI ambitions.
India AI Mission 2.0 drives execution
The push forms part of the IndiaAI Mission 2.0, which focuses on:
- AI research and development
- Startup and MSME adoption
- Workforce upskilling
- Trusted and responsible AI systems
The mission draws on earlier national digital frameworks to scale adoption across states and sectors.
Focus on safety and regulation
Vaishnaw said the government will embed safety, accountability, and transparency into AI systems from the design stage. Academic institutions and research labs will help build tools to address bias, misinformation, and misuse.
India does not plan blanket AI bans. Instead, policymakers want targeted safeguards for high-risk use cases.
Strategic and economic implications
The AI investment push signals a shift from pilot projects to large-scale deployment. Officials believe sovereign AI models will strengthen national security, improve public service delivery, and support long-term economic growth.
The government expects private investment, data centre expansion, and industry partnerships to play a key role in execution.