TLDR: India is set to launch its own national Large Language Model (LLM) by the end of 2025, a strategic move under the IndiaAI Mission aimed at reducing dependence on foreign AI systems. This initiative is supported by a robust infrastructure of 38,000 GPUs available at a highly subsidized rate, enabling 12 Indian companies to develop foundational AI models.
India is making significant strides towards achieving AI self-reliance with the announcement of its plan to launch a national Large Language Model (LLM) by the close of 2025. This ambitious undertaking is a cornerstone of the government’s IndiaAI Mission, designed to foster indigenous innovation and diminish reliance on foreign AI technologies.
According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), a substantial infrastructure comprising 38,000 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) has been deployed. These GPUs are available at an exceptionally affordable rate of ₹65 per hour, making India one of the most cost-efficient hubs globally for AI model training and development. This accessibility is crucial for accelerating the work of the twelve Indian companies currently engaged in developing foundational AI models.
Speaking at the India Mobile Congress 2025, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan emphasized India’s ‘innovative and frugal’ approach to AI strategy. He stated, “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. In partnership with the private sector, accessible to the public sector – ensuring a level-playing field for all providers, is both innovative and frugal.” Krishnan further noted that this approach has garnered international interest, particularly from organizations seeking scalable digital transformation models for the Global South.
Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary of MeitY and CEO of IndiaAI, highlighted that the IndiaAI Mission, approved last year, is systematically addressing critical gaps. These efforts include establishing affordable compute infrastructure, creating a national data platform, supporting the development of foundation models, advancing AI skilling programs, and ensuring the deployment of safe and trustworthy AI. Singh affirmed, “Today, with 38,000 GPUs available at just ₹65 per hour and 12 companies developing foundation models, we envision to launch an Indian Large Language Model by year-end, reducing dependence on foreign systems.”
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This initiative is seen as a pivotal step towards digital sovereignty, aligning with broader national goals such as Digital India, Make in India, and Viksit Bharat @2047. By developing domestic AI capabilities, India aims to secure its data, ensure cultural relevance in AI applications, and position itself as a ‘compute-rich, cost-efficient hub’ for the Global South. The fostering of a competitive ecosystem among Indian companies is expected to yield world-class AI solutions tailored to the country’s diverse languages, contexts, and challenges.
