India is emerging as a key player in the global AI landscape, with significant investments and initiatives driving growth. The country has seen a surge in AI adoption, with 70% of companies actively running or initiating AI projects, surpassing the global average of 49%. This growth is fueled by the IndiaAI Mission, a ₹10,000 crore initiative aimed at building a robust AI ecosystem. The mission focuses on developing trusted and inclusive AI solutions, with partnerships like OpenAI's Indian unit and office in New Delhi.
The Indian government is actively promoting AI literacy and innovation, planning to host an Education Summit and Developer Day. OpenAI's ChatGPT Go is priced at ₹399, making it more accessible to Indian users. However, India faces a talent shortage, producing fewer than 500 AI-focused PhDs annually. To address this, NITI Aayog recommends establishing AI departments, integrating AI into broader disciplines, and expanding funding to underserved institutions.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is working to balance innovation with competition, addressing concerns around concentration, ecosystem lock-in, and exclusive partnerships. CCI proposes a self-audit framework, enhanced transparency, and regulatory strengthening to ensure fair competition. Indian startups like Krutrim, Sarvam AI, and BharatGPT are building India-first large language models, competing with global giants like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI.
India's AI growth is also tied to geopolitics, offering an open, democratic counterweight to China's tightening controls and the US's wariness of Beijing's progress. As Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, noted, "India has all ingredients to become a global AI leader, amazing tech talent, a world-class developer ecosystem, and strong government support". With the right balance of innovation, regulation, and collaboration, India is poised to become a significant player in the global AI landscape.
