New Delhi

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a general-purpose technology whose real strength lies in the scale and depth of its societal impact, S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said on Saturday.

Highlighting India’s approach to artificial intelligence, Krishnan said the country is deliberately building an inclusive AI ecosystem that allows innovators, startups, researchers and public institutions to both contribute to and benefit from technological transformation.

“India is intentionally building an inclusive AI ecosystem. 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,” he said.

He added that the compendium released under the initiative reflects a shared global commitment to advancing AI in ways that promote economic growth, social inclusion and institutional resilience in a balanced, responsible and sustainable manner.

In a post on the ministry’s X handle, Krishnan reiterated that India’s AI ambitions are rooted in the goal of building a truly inclusive ecosystem, aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of democratising technology. India’s AI strategy, he noted, is designed to address India-specific challenges while creating economic and employment opportunities for citizens across the country.

The Government of India launched the IndiaAI Mission in March 2024 with an outlay of ₹10,372 crore to develop a comprehensive AI ecosystem. In less than two years, the mission has laid a strong foundation, including onboarding over 38,000 GPUs for a shared compute facility, offered at affordable rates to Indian startups and academic institutions.

As part of the initiative, 12 teams have been shortlisted to develop indigenous foundational models or large language models, while 30 proposals have been approved for India-specific AI applications. Talent development efforts are also underway, with support extended to over 8,000 undergraduate students, 5,000 postgraduate students and 500 PhD scholars.

In addition, 27 India Data and AI Labs have already been established, and another 543 have been identified across the country.

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India is now set to host the India AI Impact Summit from February 16 to 20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, bringing together governments, industry leaders, researchers, startups, students and citizens from around the world.