The IndiaAI Mission initiative which is trying to build a public AI compute infrastructure, is getting traction from major technology and telecom players. Companies such as Google, Airtel, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Infosys are involved. The Government of India announced the initiative in March 2023 with a budget of ?10,372 crores over five years to build an ecosystem for AI. The mission expects to provide computing capabilities, including supercomputing, with over 10,000 GPUs, to the IndiaAI community. 

The mission has several areas of focus: IndiaAI Compute Capacity: IndiaAI Innovation Centre (IAIC); IndiaAI Datasets Platform; IndiaAI Application Development Initiative, IndiaAI Future Skills, IndiaAI Startup Financing; Safe & Trusted AI, etc. As per an ET report, on March 26, Google, Airtel, TCS, and Infosys were invited to a pre-bid meeting on the second round of applications for the initiative in the GPU capability. Several other companies were present too, including Palo Alto Networks, Salesforce, HPE, IBM, Oracle, BSNL, etc.

Shortly after Reliance Jio and CtrlS were listed as the lowest price (L1) bidders for the GPU, which is to be allocated by mid-April for AI workloads, the IndiaAI Mission had received a total of around 120 applications for the second bid round, which was open till March 15 with the final bid date of April 30.  

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the applications for the AI Large Language Model (LLM) have been evaluated and shortlisted, and they will receive funding under the mission. MeitY, in January, had received offers for 20,000 GPUs, which is double what was originally offered, and selected companies such as Jio Platforms and Tata Communications for the final GPU procurement bidding.