The Union Cabinet’s approval of the national-level IndiaAI mission with a substantial budget allocation of Rs. 10,371.92 crore marks a significant milestone in India’s journey towards fostering artificial intelligence (AI) development. This decision comes in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s consistent emphasis on the importance of AI advancements and India’s potential to become a major player in this field.
The IndiaAI mission, as outlined in a press note from the Cabinet, is aligned with the vision of “Making AI in India” and “Making AI Work for India.” Its primary objective is to showcase the positive applications of AI technology for societal benefit on a global scale, thereby enhancing India’s competitiveness in the international arena.
According to the press release, the IndiaAI mission will establish a comprehensive ecosystem aimed at catalyzing AI innovation through strategic programs and partnerships across the public and private sectors. Key focus areas include democratizing access to computing, improving data quality, developing indigenous AI capabilities, attracting top AI talent, facilitating industry collaboration, providing startup risk capital, promoting socially impactful AI projects, and bolstering ethical AI practices.
The mission comprises seven key features, each designed to address specific aspects of AI development and deployment:
IndiaAI Compute Capacity: This pillar will build a high-end scalable AI computing ecosystem, including AI compute infrastructure and an AI marketplace to offer AI as a service and pre-trained models.
IndiaAI Innovation Centre: Responsible for developing and deploying indigenous Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) and domain-specific foundational models.
IndiaAI Datasets Platform: A unified data platform to streamline access to quality non-personal datasets for AI innovation.
IndiaAI Application Development Initiative: Promoting AI applications in critical sectors by developing impactful solutions for identified problem statements.
IndiaAI FutureSkills: Increasing AI courses in academic programs and setting up Data and AI Labs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to impart foundational level courses.
IndiaAI Startup Financing: Supporting and accelerating deep-tech AI startups by providing streamlined access to funding for futuristic AI projects.
Safe & Trusted AI: Ensuring responsible development, deployment, and adoption of AI through the implementation of guidelines, frameworks, and governance mechanisms.
The government envisions that the IndiaAI mission will foster creativity, enhance internal capabilities, and safeguard India’s technological autonomy. Additionally, it aims to create employment opportunities that require advanced AI skills, leveraging the country’s demographic advantage.
The approval of the IndiaAI mission reflects India’s commitment to becoming a global leader in AI innovation and application. By investing in this transformative technology, India aims to address societal challenges, drive economic growth, and secure its position in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
