BENGALURU: The Centre’s ambitious AI mission has garnered significant interest from researchers and startups, with 187 proposals submitted for developing indigenous large language models (LLMs) that can address the nation’s unique linguistic and contextual requirements.
Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, pointed out that the govt only published a call for proposals for building foundation models on January 30. He said on Thursday that it received 67 initial proposals by February 15, followed by an additional 120 proposals by March 15.
“We believe we need a foundation model trained on Indian datasets, in Indian languages, and understanding Indian contexts,” he said. The initiative is part of the broader India AI mission, approved last year and implemented across seven strategic pillars.
He spoke at the Nano Electronics Roadshow and Conference on Semiconductor Ecosystem organised by the Nanotechnology Initiatives Division of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in partnership with IISc and five IITs (Bombay, Madras, Delhi, Kharagpur, and Guwahati) here.
The event brought together more than 700 industry leaders, policymakers, and academics, highlighting India’s strategic vision to develop a self-reliant semiconductor ecosystem. The roadshow, supported by six state-of-the-art nanoelectronics centres across prestigious institutions like IISc and IITs, featured more than 100 intellectual properties, 50 cutting-edge technologies, and innovations from 35 promising startups.
Another highlight of the roadshow was the presentation of 48 cutting-edge technology demonstrations by students from Nano Centres, showcasing the bridging of academic research with real-world applications.
Singh also said that computational constraints, historically a significant challenge for AI research in India, are being addressed through targeted investments. The semiconductor mission and initiatives in chip design are expected to reduce model training costs in the long term. The govt is currently evaluating the initial batch of proposals, with funding decisions imminent.
Earlier in the day, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan addressed the research and industry representatives: “There has been a lot of indigenisation but I’m unhappy. If you talk about a launch vehicle, 90% of it is indigenous and 10% is imported, and out of that 10% imported items, 90% is electronics. You must have a roadmap to ensure that this drops to under 10%.”
MeitY Secretary S Krishnan highlighted the ministry’s goals, including the development of a semiconductor-ready workforce of 85,000 professionals. He noted that India’s semiconductor demand, currently valued at $45-50 billion, is projected to reach $100-110 billion by 2030.
“Every Indian is a stakeholder in this mission,” Krishnan said, pointing out that nearly 70-75% of investments in major semiconductor facilities are funded by taxpayer money. Currently, 20% of the global semiconductor design workforce is based in India.
The event also facilitated four crucial MoUs between academic institutions and industry partners, including collaborations between IISc and technology firms like KAS Technologies and Antigone Solutions Private Limited.
