Can IndiaAI Deliver LLM in 6 Months? |
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THE BELAMY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER OF AIM Monday, Mar 10, 2025 | By Mohit Pandey |
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Is India's wait for its own LLM finally coming to an end? Or are we on a 6-month reset? Last week, MeitY launched AI Kosha and the IndiaAI Compute Portal, key milestones in the ₹10,370 crore IndiaAI mission. The goal? To build indigenous LLMs that can rival the West and China's DeepSeek, securing India's AI sovereignty. Interestingly, 22 of the 67 proposals the government has received under the initiative focus on developing LLMs. Under IndiaAI, MeitY has allocated 18,693 GPUs, which includes public-private partnerships with major Indian players such as Jio Platforms, NxtGen Data Center, Locuz Enterprise, E2E Networks, CtrlS DataCenters, CMS Computers, Orient Technologies, Tata Communications, Vensysco, and Yotta Data Services. |
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The compute portal forms the largest component of the mission's budget, accounting for nearly 45% of the total funds allocated. IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw proudly stated: "We are using public funds to enhance our compute facilities, while in many countries, it is in the hands of private companies. Therefore, we provide the cheapest compute in the world at ₹67 per GPU hour." While several AI startups have submitted proposals under this scheme, AIM found players such as Sarvam AI, Krutrim, CoRover.ai, Zoho, LossFunk, Kissan AI, Soket AI Labs, TurboML, and IIIT Hyderabad also in the race to develop India's next GenAI models under the mission. Others like GenLoop, GFuture Tech, Craft Production Group, and Neil Sharma, a Malaviya National Institute of Technology postgraduate, will submit their proposals by March 15. [Must watch] Do you have an eye for AI? At AIM, we bring AI and emerging technologies to life through compelling stories and deep insights. Join our newsroom and be at the forefront of the future—unfolding in real time! |
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Click here to join AIM. Meanwhile, the startups are slightly confused. MeitY said it would continue accepting proposals under the IndiaAI mission till the 15th of each month for the next six months or until it receives a sufficient number—whichever comes first. "The evaluations are being carried out, and we will announce the outcomes once they are completed," IndiaAI CEO Abhishek Singh said. The confusion is regarding the timeline for actually building the indigenous LLM(s). For now, it looks like the government may release a single LLM first, before releasing subsequent ones with each accepted proposal. This could also mean that the mission might release an already-built LLM of a startup under the government-funded mission. Experts have questioned the plausibility of the government's six-month timeline. Is it really possible to build an LLM so soon, or are we being overzealous? IIT Madras professor Balaraman Ravindran, who is also a renowned AI researcher and mentor to Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, cast doubt on the government's ambitious plan. |
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"I think six months is too aggressive a timeline for us to really build super capable models. What we are probably going to get are right or decent models; we are not going to shake the world," he told AIM. IIT Madras, too, has submitted a proposal under the IndiaAI mission in collaboration with a startup. Read the full conversation with the professor here. Datalyze – A Simulation-Based Gamified Learning Platform for Data Analytics While India makes its AI models, it is important to note that the ability to analyse and interpret data is no longer limited to data scientists or highly skilled analysts. With the launch of Datalyze, MachineHack is breaking down barriers, making data analytics accessible to everyone, from students and small business owners to non-technical professionals. |
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Meanwhile, Indian startups are all set for the IndiaAI mission. If you're a startup that believes you have what it takes to shake up the AI world, be there at AIM Media House's inaugural edition of Happy Llama 2025—India's only AI startup conference—on April 25 at Radisson Blu, Bengaluru. Ready to be part of it? Register now. |
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But for Some, the IndiaAI Mission Makes Sense Apart from startups and the IndiaAI mission, there is another government-backed initiative which is doing some real groundwork in AI. BharatGen, a DST-funded initiative, stands out as one of the nation's strongest bets. Ganesh Ramakrishnan, the head of the BharatGen initiative, told AIM that unlike private entities and IndiaAI Mission, BharatGen operates with a clear mission—'GenAI for Bharat, by Bharat'. |
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Thanks to the ₹235 crore investment, Ramakrishnan, unlike Ravindran, believes that building an LLM in six months is possible. "Yes, we are very much on track and aligned with the timeline. Our goal is not just to build AI models but provide resources that startups and system integrators can leverage," Ramakrishnan confirmed. Overall, with proposals being evaluated every month, India seems to be taking a slower approach as of now. If you also have an idea or proposal in mind, place your bets. Who knows, you could hear back from IndiaAI! |
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MachineHack, in partnership with Chubb, presents the InnovateHER AI-ML Challenge—a competition designed to spotlight talented women in AI and ML. From a Python coding sprint to a GenAI ideathon on climate risk insights, this is your chance to compete, innovate, and land career-defining opportunities. Ready to shine? Register now. [For more real-time updates from the world of AI and analytics, download the AIM Media House app on the App Store and Google Play.] |
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