The government will back the development of 20 homegrown sovereign AI models as part of the IndiaAI Mission.

The Indian government has selected 20 indigenous sovereign AI model proposals for financial and technical support under the IndiaAI Mission, marking a significant step toward strengthening the country's artificial intelligence ecosystem. The announcement was made by Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. According to the minister, the shortlisted proposals include 12 large language models (LLMs) and eight small language models (SLMs). The initiative is part of the government's broader strategy to encourage homegrown AI innovation, create employment opportunities for young professionals, and ensure India remains competitive in the rapidly evolving global AI landscape.

Vaishnaw said the Centre is working closely with Indian startups, research institutions, and technology companies to develop advanced AI models that can address both domestic and global needs. The selected projects cover a wide range of generative AI applications, including multilingual language models, speech-to-speech AI systems, video generation technologies, healthcare-focused AI solutions, and agentic AI platforms capable of performing complex autonomous tasks.

Among the prominent proposals receiving support are Sarvam AI's 30-billion and 105-billion parameter language models, Gnani.ai's speech-to-speech AI model, BharatGen's multilingual foundation models, and Avataar AI's video generation platform. The government believes these initiatives will help reduce dependence on foreign AI technologies while promoting innovation tailored to India's linguistic and sectoral requirements.

The minister noted that India's AI strategy builds upon the country's robust $300 billion information technology industry, which employs nearly six million people. Through the IndiaAI Mission, the government aims to provide researchers, startups, and educational institutions with access to affordable computing resources, quality datasets, skilled talent, and funding support.

To strengthen AI infrastructure, the mission has empanelled 15 compute service providers, approved 237 AI-related projects, and allocated more than 9.3 million GPU hours for research and model development. These computing resources are being made available across the country, allowing innovators from different regions to access advanced AI infrastructure without geographical limitations.

The government has also expanded its focus on practical AI applications by organising 12 national AI hackathons and innovation challenges. These initiatives have contributed to the development of 62 AI prototypes, while 20 AI-powered solutions have already been deployed in various sectors. Alongside infrastructure development, the Centre continues to invest heavily in AI education and skill development. So far, 686 fellowships have been awarded to students pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across 178 institutions. In addition, more than 2.6 million people have completed the YUVA AI for All programme, which aims to improve AI awareness and digital skills among citizens.

India's AI ecosystem is also being strengthened through the establishment of dedicated research facilities. Currently, 27 India Data and AI Labs are operational and have trained over 2,500 students. Work is underway to set up another 188 labs across the country. The government has also approved 58 Artificial Intelligence Centres of Excellence (AI-CoEs) in collaboration with state governments and industry partners to accelerate AI research and innovation.

Highlighting the importance of responsible AI, Vaishnaw informed Parliament that the India AI Governance Guidelines, released on November 5, 2025, provide a national framework for the safe, ethical, and inclusive development and deployment of artificial intelligence. As part of the mission's Safe and Trusted AI pillar, 13 projects have been approved to address challenges such as AI explainability, algorithm bias, privacy protection, deepfake detection, AI forensics, risk assessment, and security for generative AI systems.

With support for indigenous AI models, expanded computing infrastructure, talent development programmes, and a growing focus on responsible AI, the IndiaAI Mission is expected to play a key role in positioning India as a leading global hub for artificial intelligence while encouraging innovation that addresses the country's unique technological and societal needs.