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Context:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative force in India’s development journey, strengthening governance, improving service delivery and enabling scalable solutions across sectors.

What is Democratisation of AI?

Democratisation of AI refers to making artificial intelligence accessible, affordable and usable for a broad range of users. It goes beyond ready-made applications and focuses on providing access to the core building blocks of AI like, compute power, datasets, models, infrastructure and skills. By expanding access to these foundational resources, India is enabling innovation beyond large technology firms and empowering startups, academic institutions and public agencies.

This inclusive approach also aims to widen economic opportunities. With over 6 million people employed in the technology ecosystem and nearly 490 million informal workers potentially benefiting through improved access to markets and services, AI is positioned as a tool for social and economic transformation.

Key highlights of India’s expanding AI ecosystem:

Affordable compute access: To reduce entry barriers for startups, researchers and institutions, the government has enabled access to over 38,000 high-end GPUs at subsidised rates of around ₹65 per hour, significantly lower than global costs. In addition, 1,050 Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) have been onboarded to support high-performance AI training and deployment.

Shared National data and model resources: Through the AIKosh platform, India is creating a common national repository that currently hosts 7,500+ datasets and over 270 AI models across multiple sectors. This shared ecosystem allows developers to build solutions faster without starting from scratch, promoting collaborative innovation.

Nationwide digital connectivity backbone: The rapid expansion of digital infrastructure has enabled 5G coverage in nearly all districts (99.9%), creating the network foundation required for real-time AI applications, cloud computing and edge-based services even in remote regions.

Public investment through IndiaAI Mission: The IndiaAI Mission, with an outlay of ₹10,371.92 crore over five years, serves as the central framework for expanding AI infrastructure, compute access, skilling, research support and responsible AI development across the country.

Key components of democratised AI infrastructure:

• Access to data and models: The AIKosh platform provides shared datasets and pre-trained models across sectors, reducing entry barriers for developers and researchers. India is also developing indigenous multimodal AI models trained on Indian languages and contexts, strengthening technological self-reliance.
• Access to compute: Subsidised GPU and TPU access under the IndiaAI Mission addresses a major constraint in AI development. Additionally, the National Supercomputing Mission provides over 40 petaflops of computing capacity through systems such as PARAM Siddhi-AI and AIRAWAT.
• Semiconductor and chip ecosystem: The India Semiconductor Mission (₹76,000 crore) aims to build domestic chip manufacturing and design capabilities. India’s semiconductor market is projected to reach $100–110 billion by 2030, reducing dependence on global supply chains.
• Data centres and connectivity: India’s cloud data centre capacity stands at around 1,280 MW, expected to grow 4–5 times by 2030. Major hubs include Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. Expanding data centres combined with widespread 5G coverage enables scalable AI deployment even in remote regions.
• Sustainable energy for AI: AI infrastructure is energy intensive. India supports this demand through clean energy expansion, with 50% of installed power capacity from non-fossil sources (achieved ahead of target) and renewable capacity crossing 253 GW. Nuclear energy expansion under the SHANTI framework ensures stable power for data centres.

Global Cooperation and the India - AI Impact Summit 2026:

• A platform for inclusive Global AI governance: The India - AI impact Summit 2026 (16–20 February, New Delhi) brings together global leaders, ministers, industry experts and innovators to promote inclusive and development-oriented AI cooperation, marking the first major global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
• Democratising AI resources across nations: The summit emphasises that equitable access to compute, datasets, infrastructure and skills is essential for enabling all countries, especially developing economies to participate meaningfully in the AI ecosystem and reduce technological disparities.
• Working group for shared access and capacity building: A dedicated Working Group on Democratising AI Resources, co-chaired by India, Egypt and Kenya, aims to expand affordability, promote distributed infrastructure, encourage open innovation and strengthen capacity-building through international collaboration.
• Global South leadership: By advancing the idea of AI as a global public good, the summit seeks to bridge the digital divide, support national development priorities and position India as a key voice in shaping a balanced, ethical and inclusive global AI governance framework.

Significance for India:

• Inclusive economic growth: Democratising AI expands access to affordable technology, enabling startups, MSMEs, researchers and public institutions to innovate, improve productivity and create new employment opportunities across sectors.
• Strengthening public service delivery: The integration of AI into governance enhances efficiency in areas such as agriculture, healthcare, education and disaster management, improving the quality, reach and responsiveness of citizen-centric services.
• Bridging the digital and regional divide: By expanding compute access, digital infrastructure and AI skilling to Tier-2, Tier-3 and rural areas, India is reducing technological inequalities and ensuring wider participation in the digital economy.
• Advancing technological self-reliance: Investments in indigenous models, semiconductor capabilities, data ecosystems and national platforms reduce dependence on foreign technologies and strengthen India’s strategic autonomy in critical digital domains.
• Enhancing global leadership and strategic influence: By promoting affordable and inclusive AI solutions for the Global South, India is positioning itself as a key voice in shaping equitable, ethical and development-oriented global AI governance.

Conclusion:

India’s approach to democratising AI reflects a commitment to making advanced technology accessible, affordable and inclusive. By expanding access to compute, data, infrastructure and skills, the country is enabling innovation across sectors while ensuring that the benefits of AI reach citizens, startups and public institutions alike. This balanced focus on scale, inclusion and self-reliance positions India to leverage AI as a key driver of sustainable growth and global leadership in the digital era.

Source: PIB