The article first appeared in The Hindu on Feb 7, 2025.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming global industries, and India, as a rising technology powerhouse, must consider whether it should develop its own sovereign AI model. A foundational AI model—a large-scale AI trained on diverse datasets—can serve as the backbone for various applications, from healthcare to governance. Given India’s unique linguistic diversity, socio-economic challenges, and national security concerns, the idea of an Indian AI model holds significant merit.
A domestically built AI model ensures that India’s vast data resources remain within the country. This reduces dependency on foreign AI firms, mitigating risks of data misuse and ensuring compliance with national privacy regulations. Countries like the U.S. and China have developed their own AI ecosystems; India should follow suit to maintain strategic autonomy. Data sovereignty is crucial, as reliance on external AI models could expose sensitive information to foreign entities.
India’s linguistic and cultural diversity is unparalleled. A foundational Indian AI model can be trained on regional languages, dialects, and locally relevant datasets. This will improve AI-driven applications in governance, education, and customer service, ensuring they cater effectively to the entire population. For example, AI-powered language translation and voice recognition systems designed specifically for Indian languages can bridge communication gaps in rural areas.
Developing a sovereign AI model would drive investment in domestic AI research, benefiting startups, universities, and tech firms. This aligns with initiatives like “Make in India” and “Digital India,” positioning the country as a global AI leader. A robust AI ecosystem would also create new job opportunities and boost innovation across multiple sectors, from agriculture to financial services. By focusing on indigenous AI research, India can reduce dependency on Western AI frameworks and build a technology ecosystem that caters specifically to its needs.
A homegrown AI system would enhance India’s position in the global AI economy, reducing reliance on costly foreign technologies. Additionally, in critical sectors like defense and cybersecurity, an Indian AI model would ensure that sensitive information remains protected. National security concerns dictate that India must have control over its AI infrastructure to safeguard against cyber threats and geopolitical risks.
Despite these advantages, India faces challenges in building a sovereign AI model. Training large-scale AI models requires substantial computational power, which India must scale up through investments in AI supercomputing. Additionally, while India has a strong IT workforce, high-end AI research needs further support through academic and industry collaboration. Ethical and regulatory considerations must also be addressed to prevent AI biases and ensure transparency.
Read more at The Hindu
Find more Global Indian Top Reads