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Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, on Thursday launched the AI Compute Portal in New Delhi.
The AI Compute Portal is a digital platform through which users such as researchers, startups, and government agencies will be able to access highly valued GPUs and high-powered computing resources specifically designed for artificial intelligence (AI) tasks. Speaking at the launch, the Union Minister informed that the government is setting up 27 AI data labs. He further added that the government has received applications for creating the foundational models and now the team is actually have to revaluate all the applications. India is rapidly building a strong AI computing and semiconductor infrastructure to support its growing digital economy. With the approval of the IndiaAI Mission in 2024, the government allocated Rs 10,300 crore over five years to strengthen AI capabilities. A key focus of this mission is the development of a high-end common computing facility equipped with 18,693 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), making it one of the most extensive AI compute infrastructures globally. This capacity is nearly nine times that of the open-source AI model DeepSeek and about two-thirds of what ChatGPT operates on. The initial phase of the mission has already made 10,000 GPUs available, with the remaining units to be added soon. This will enable the creation of indigenous AI solutions tailored to Indian languages and contexts. India has also pioneered the launch of an open GPU marketplace, making high-performance computing accessible to startups, researchers, and students. Unlike many countries where AI infrastructure is controlled by large corporations, this initiative ensures that small players have an opportunity to innovate. The government has selected 10 companies to supply the GPUs, ensuring a robust and diversified supply chain. To further strengthen domestic capabilities, India aims to develop its own GPU within the next three to five years, reducing reliance on imported technology. According to the Ministry of Electronics & IT, a new common compute facility will soon be launched, allowing researchers and startups to access GPU power at a highly subsidized rate of Rs 100 per hour, compared to the global cost of USD 2.5 to USD 3 per hour. In parallel, India is advancing semiconductor manufacturing, with five semiconductor plants under construction, as per the IT and Electronics ministry. These developments will not only support AI innovation but also reinforce India's position in the global electronics sector. (ANI)
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