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Meity to seek Cabinet nod for India AI programme entailing over Rs 10,000 crore investments: MoS IT

On Friday, government-established task forces focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) suggested the establishment of a three-tier computing infrastructure, which includes a total of 24,500 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). This recommendation comes as part of the government's efforts to advance AI capabilities

- India - UPDATED: January 24, 2024, 11:44 AM - 2 min read

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) in India is set to seek cabinet approval for the ambitious India AI program.

Meity to seek Cabinet nod for India AI programme entailing over Rs 10,000 crore investments: MoS IT

Union Minister of Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrashekhar

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) in India is set to seek cabinet approval for the ambitious India AI program. This program includes the establishment of GPU-based servers in a public-private partnership, with a substantial budget exceeding Rs 10,000 crore, according to statements made by Minister of Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, on Tuesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of semiconductor-focused software company Synopsys, Minister Chandrasekhar revealed that the proposal for the India AI program would be presented to the cabinet for approval. The program's financial outlay highlights the government's commitment to advancements in artificial intelligence, a field poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of technology.

The working groups formed by the government on AI, last Friday, recommended the creation of a robust three-tier compute infrastructure, featuring a staggering 24,500 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). This move aligns with the government's vision to bolster the country's AI capabilities and foster innovation across various sectors.

"The AI program will serve as a catalyst for collaboration between the public and private sectors, creating a conducive environment for technological advancements," stated Minister Chandrasekhar.

The demand for GPU based servers has increased as it can process data at higher speed compared to CPU-Based servers.

Currently, the US and China lead in computing infrastructure required for the development og AI Technology.

According to the top 500 list issued in Nov, 2022, China had 162 supercomputers, followed by the US with 127 while India stood at three.

According to industry estimates, NVIDIA dominates the GPU Market with about 88% market share and there is still a lag of 12-18 months in getting GPU’s from the company due to it’s high demand across the globe.

The AI working groups have recommended setting up an Inference Farm(2,500 AI PF) and Edge Compute(500 AI PF) systems.

The government has already spend ₹1,218.14 crore in the last eight years to set up 24 PetaFlops compute capacity under the National Supercomputing Mission.