(GIST OF SCIENCE REPORTER) INDIGENOUS AI MODEL

(MARCH-2025)

The Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology announced that India is set to launch its own safe & secure indigenous AI model at an affordable cost.

Infrastructure & Cost

Backed by 18,693 GPUs (12,896 H100, 1,480 H200, 7,200 MI200/300), exceeding global benchmarks (e.g. DeepSeek’s 2,000 GPUs and ChatGPT’s 25,000 GPUs).
Affordable access: Cost reduced to < ₹100/hour after a 40% government subsidy (global rate: $2.5–3/ hour). Competitive half-yearly/annual plans further lower costs.

Focus on Local Context

Tailored for India’s linguistic diversity (22 official languages) and socio-cultural needs.
Aims to eliminate biases, ensure fairness, and promote inclusivity.

Safety & Ethics

IndiaAI Safety Institute established to address risks, with 8 safety projects:
Machine Unlearning (IIT Jodhpur)
Synthetic Data Generation (IIT Roorkee)
AI Bias Mitigation Strategy (NIT Raipur)
Explainable AI Framework (Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune & Minecraft Technologies)
Privacy Enhancing Strategies (IIT Delhi, IIIT Delhi, IIT Dharwad & Telecom Engineering Centre, TEC)
AI Ethical Certification Framework (Tool Nishpaksh being developed at IIIT Delhi & TEC) AI Algorithm Auditing Framework (Tool Parakh being developed by Civic Data Labs)
AI Governance Testing Framework (Amrita Vidyapeetham & Telecom Engineering Centre)
Adopts a techno-legal approach for ethical AI governance.
Timeline: Expected to be ready within 6–10 months, with foundational models under development by scientists, researchers, and startups.

Trust & Sovereignty: India is a globally trusted partner; a homegrown AI model ensures data sovereignty and reduces reliance on foreign platforms.
Cultural & Linguistic Relevance: Global models often lack contextual understanding of India’s diversity. Indigenous AI will address local languages, dialects, and regional nuances.
Economic Empowerment: PM’s vision to democratize access to AI for grassroots empowerment (e.g. farmers, MSMEs).
Ethical AI: Mitigate risks like algorithmic bias, deepfakes, and privacy breaches through localized governance frameworks.
Strategic Advantage: Position India as a global AI powerhouse with cost-effective, ethical solutions for critical sectors (agriculture, healthcare, governance).

IndiaAI Mission

Budget: ₹10,372 crore (approved March 2024).
7 Pillars: Compute infrastructure, foundational models, datasets, startups, AI applications, safety, and talent development.

Common Compute Facility with 10,000+ GPUs empaneled via CSPs (e.g., Jio, Tata Communications, Yotta).
Partners offer NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel GPUs at competitive rates.