NEW DELHI, India — Puch AI co-founder Siddharth Bhatia on Tuesday pushed back against concerns surrounding the company’s agreement with the Uttar Pradesh government, saying the deal does not involve any taxpayer funding and is aimed at attracting private investment.
In a post on social media platform X, Bhatia said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is structured as a public-private initiative and will be carried out in phases with backing from external investors.
“The company has not received any funding, GPUs or other support from the government, and that citizens will instead benefit through free access to AI services in local languages via its platform,” he stated.
The clarification comes as the Uttar Pradesh government has also emphasized that the MoU is non-binding and represents only an initial step. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said such agreements do not guarantee final approval and remain subject to further evaluation.
Addressing reports about the company’s finances, Bhatia said claims that Puch AI generates revenue of Rs 42.9 lakh are inaccurate and likely stem from confusion with another firm. He said the startup’s financial details are not publicly disclosed but described it as “well-funded” rather than bootstrapped.
On the technology front, Bhatia said Puch AI does not currently operate its own foundational AI model and does not consider it necessary at this stage.
“Instead, it has built infrastructure using open-source models tailored for Indian users, focusing on accessibility through platforms like WhatsApp and voice-based interactions,” Bhatia stated.
“The company’s mission is to make AI accessible to millions of Indians who are currently unable to use tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini due to language and usability barriers,” he said.
Bhatia also responded to criticism that the platform functions as a “wrapper,” saying it does not rely on APIs from companies such as OpenAI or Anthropic and has developed its infrastructure independently, while acknowledging that interpretations of the term can vary. (Source: IANS)
