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Government to support 20 sovereign and indigenous AI models under the IndiaAI mission

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 24 Jul 2026 24 Jul 2026

The government has identified 20 proposals for sovereign and indigenous AI models to receive support under the IndiaAI mission—comprising 12 Large Language Models (LLMs) and eight Small Language Models (SLMs)—Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed Parliament on Wednesday.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw noted that the IndiaAI mission seeks to create economic opportunities and jobs for India’s youth while addressing risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI). “The Government of India is supporting Indian startups and institutions to develop Large Language Models. Twenty proposals for sovereign and indigenous models have been identified for support, including 12 LLMs and eight SLMs,” the minister stated, according to reports from a prominent publication.

Which AI models have been selected for support?

The government-backed proposals cover a range of generative AI applications. Projects under development include Sarvam AI’s 30-billion and 105-billion parameter models, Gnani.ai’s voice-to-voice model, BharatGen’s multilingual base models, and Avataar AI’s video generation model.

Several specialised AI models for healthcare, language technologies, and agentic AI are also being developed as part of the initiative.

How does the IndiaAI mission support AI development? Discussing India’s AI strategy, Vaishnaw stated that it is anchored in the country’s $300 billion IT sector, which employs nearly six million people. The IndiaAI mission comprises seven pillars, including the development of AI models, applications, datasets, and talent, as well as affordable computing infrastructure.

To strengthen India’s AI ecosystem, the mission has selected 15 computing service providers, approved 237 projects, and allocated 9.3 million GPU hours. Computing resources are available nationwide, enabling startups, researchers, and institutions to access AI infrastructure regardless of their location.

Regarding applications, the mission has launched 12 nationwide AI hackathons and innovation challenges, supported the development of 62 AI prototypes, and facilitated the deployment of 20 AI-based solutions, Vaishnaw noted.

What progress has been made in AI training and talent development?

The government’s AI talent pool continues to grow. To date, 686 scholarships have been awarded for undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across 178 institutions, while over 2.6 million people have completed the “YUVA AI for All” program.

Infrastructure development has progressed alongside training initiatives. According to Vaishnaw, 27 India AI and data labs are currently operational—having trained more than 2,500 students—with work underway to establish another 188 labs. Additionally, 58 AI Centers of Excellence (AI-CoEs) have been approved across various states and union territories, in collaboration with state governments and industry partners.

What is India’s framework for safe and trustworthy AI?

Vaishnaw informed Parliament that India’s AI Governance Guidelines, released on November 5, 2025, establish a national framework for the safe, responsible, and inclusive development and implementation of artificial intelligence, according to a prominent publication. 

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