IndiaAI Mission gains momentum with 67 proposals for indigenous AI models

New Delhi: The IndiaAI Mission, a strategic initiative to establish a robust AI ecosystem in the country, has received 67 proposals from startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs aimed at developing indigenous Artificial Intelligence (AI) models, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) announced. The proposals focus on creating foundational and domain-specific AI models to align with India’s digital and economic development goals.

The submissions, received by February 15, 2025, are part of the IndiaAI Innovation Centre (IAIC) initiative, which was launched on January 30, 2025, to encourage AI-driven research and innovation. The program aims to create state-of-the-art foundational AI models trained on Indian datasets and tailored to meet local needs.

Focus areas of the AI proposals

Among the 67 proposals, 22 focus on Large Language Models (LLMs) and Large Multimodal Models (LMMs), which are designed to process and generate text, images, and speech. These models aim to enhance AI-powered applications in content generation, education, and automated translation.

The remaining 45 proposals center on Small Language Models (SLMs) for sector-specific applications. The primary areas targeted include:

1. Healthcare: AI models designed for medical diagnosis, patient management, and predictive healthcare analytics.
2. Education: AI-driven learning tools, personalized tutoring, and digital content creation.
3. Financial Services: AI applications for fraud detection, credit risk assessment, and customer service automation.
4. Additionally, the applicants have requested access to a wide range of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to support AI model training and deployment.

IndiaAI Mission and strategic AI expansion

The IndiaAI Mission was approved by the Union Cabinet on March 7, 2024. It is built on seven foundational pillars, focusing on AI research, skill development, startup financing, and ethical AI deployment. The initiative aligns with the government’s broader goal of positioning India as a global leader in AI-driven innovation.

MeitY Minister Jitin Prasada, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, highlighted that the mission is designed to democratize AI and ensure that it benefits all sectors of society. “The government is committed to harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence for the good of our people while ensuring safety and trust in AI applications,” he stated.

AI in Indian languages: Bhashini initiative

In parallel, the Digital India Bhashini initiative, implemented by MeitY, aims to provide AI-driven language technology solutions for all 22 scheduled Indian languages. The Bhashini platform, which supports speech recognition, machine translation, and text-to-speech conversion, is expected to enhance vernacular language accessibility across digital platforms.

The platform hosts over 350 AI-based language models, developed in collaboration with over 70 research institutes. The initiative is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG 10), which focuses on reducing inequality by increasing digital access in regional languages.

IndiaAI and Meta’s collaboration on generative AI

As part of the mission, IndiaAI has partnered with Meta to establish the Center for Generative AI, Srijan (सृजन) at IIT Jodhpur. The initiative is expected to boost open-source AI development and enhance India’s AI research capabilities. Additionally, the YuvAI Initiative, in collaboration with AICTE, aims to build AI skill capacity among students and researchers.

India’s AI skill development and cybersecurity initiatives

To meet the growing demand for AI professionals, MeitY has launched multiple skilling initiatives, including:

1. FutureSkills PRIME: A re-skilling and up-skilling program covering AI, cybersecurity, blockchain, and other emerging technologies.
2. Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme: Funding support for AI-related research and PhD scholars.
3. IndiaAI Fellowships: Scholarships for AI graduates and postgraduates to promote AI research in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Furthermore, MeitY and CERT-In have conducted joint AI-powered cybersecurity training programs, focusing on cyber threat detection and AI-driven security solutions.

IndiaAI’s expansion to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities

Under the IndiaAIFutureSkills pillar, the government plans to establish 27 AI and Data Labs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in collaboration with NIELIT. These labs will be set up in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam, and Nagaland to ensure wider access to AI education and infrastructure.