NEW DELHI– India plans to roll out its first indigenous Large Language Model (LLM) by the end of this year, marking a significant milestone in the country’s artificial intelligence ambitions. The initiative is part of the government’s broader IndiaAI Mission, which seeks to reduce reliance on foreign AI systems and expand local innovation capacity.
According to Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and CEO of IndiaAI and DG-NIC, the mission is addressing key challenges in the AI ecosystem by making affordable computing power available, building a national data platform, supporting foundation model development, enhancing AI skilling, and ensuring responsible and trustworthy AI deployment.
With access to 38,000 GPUs priced at just Rs 65 per hour and 12 companies already developing foundational models, India aims to position itself as a global player in large-scale AI systems.
The announcement came during a series of pre-summit events hosted by MeitY ahead of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, held alongside the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 in New Delhi. The summit is scheduled for February 19–20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam.
In his inaugural address, MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan emphasized India’s pragmatic approach to AI innovation. “We have adopted innovative means by learning from the experiences of others to build viable projects and products that will truly make a difference for us,” he said. “Our model—developed in partnership with the private sector but accessible to the public sector—ensures a level playing field for all providers. It is both innovative and frugal, and international agencies have found it appealing as a framework for the Global South.”
The pre-summit sessions brought together leaders from government, industry, academia, and international institutions to explore how AI can foster inclusive, safe, and sustainable growth across digital and telecom sectors.
Discussions focused on India’s growing AI ecosystem, progress under the IndiaAI Mission, and opportunities for global collaboration aimed at democratizing access to AI technologies. The upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026 will convene global leaders to advance responsible AI design, development, and deployment under the guiding principles of “People, Planet, and Progress.” (Source: IANS)
