The IndiaAI Innovation Initiative

The IndiaAI Innovation Initiative, a groundbreaking effort to foster the development of state-of-the-art foundational AI models in India, has seen an overwhelming response. Launched on January 30, 2025, the initiative invites institutions, startups, research organizations, and AI innovators to create AI models trained on Indian datasets. The third phase of the initiative, initially set to receive applications until mid-April, will now accept submissions until April 22, 2025. This extension aims to accommodate the high volume of proposals received.

Objective and Vision

The initiative is focused on establishing indigenous AI models that align with global standards while addressing Indian-specific opportunities and challenges. Proposals are required to focus on diverse sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, climate change, and governance.

Growth in Interest

The first phase saw a total of 67 proposals between January 30 and February 15, with 22 proposals centered on Large Language/Multimodal Models (LLM/LMM) and 45 on Small Language Models (SLM). Phase two, from February 16 to March 15, witnessed a notable increase, with 120 applications submitted, consisting of 36 LLM/LMMs and 84 SLMs.

Final Phase Developments

In the ongoing phase three, starting March 16, the initiative has received an exceptional number of applications. This surge has prompted the temporary pause in accepting new submissions after the revised deadline of April 22 at 11:59 PM. This measure ensures all current applications can be adequately processed.

Funding and Evaluation

The IndiaAI initiative outlines various funding options for proposals, including direct grants, compute credits, and potential equity-based investments. The proposal evaluation will consider team capability, project strategy, use case development, ethical considerations, and financial viability.

Encouraging Innovation

Under the IndiaAI Innovation Center pillar, the initiative aims to support Indian researchers and entrepreneurs in building foundational models. Proposals should prioritize cultural, linguistic, and contextual relevance using Indian datasets. The models can be categorized as LMMs or SLMs, targeting specific domains or applications.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

A comprehensive evaluation framework considers prior experience in AI research, innovative approaches, data management strategies, and adherence to ethical AI guidelines. Proposals are expected to demonstrate potential societal and economic impact, scalability, and sustainability.

Call for Submissions

Interested parties are advised to submit their proposals to tenders@indiaai.gov.in with the subject line: “Call for Proposals: Foundational AI Models.” Attachments in PDF format are encouraged, and proposals will be reviewed monthly by a panel of IndiaAI experts.

Stay Updated

For ongoing updates and announcements about reopening, interested parties should follow aitechtrend.com. Queries or requests for additional information can be directed to tenders@indiaai.gov.in.

A Government-Approved Mission

This initiative forms part of the broader IndiaAI Mission, approved by the Government of India, to bridge gaps in the AI ecosystem. Implemented by IndiaAI under the Digital India Corporation, the mission focuses on various pillars, including AI compute, innovation, dataset platforms, and startup financing.