Meity to reach out to global network of AI, machine learning experts

The work on the AI foundation model will take place under the Rs 10,372 crore India AI mission

The government will soon start reaching out to a global network of experts on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to help mentor companies and startups selected to build India’s domestic AI foundation model, according to a senior government official.

 

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) aims to engage these mentors — including experts from top AI companies — to provide guidance in the initial phase of setting up the framework for foundation models, the official said.

 

“We will start reaching out to researchers, academics, and experts on AI from top universities and companies from across the world as soon as this week. Once we have selected the companies that will work on the foundation models, our plan is to pair them with the mentors that come on board,” the official said.

 

These mentors, another official said, would also help the selected companies design and develop the foundation model in accordance with the demand and further help in distilling the model to fit the right tools.

 

“A lot of initial work is likely to be academic in nature and will involve training, research, and development. Once we have enough manpower that is trained on the basics, we will begin work on collation and training of models on datasets,” the official said.

 

Work on the AI foundation model will take place under the Rs 10,372 crore India AI mission. On January 30, Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the government was talking to at least six startups to develop multiple foundation models in various areas.

 

Vaishnaw had said the government had been working with experts in the field of large language model (LLM) and small language model (SLM) over the past 18 months to develop the framework for India’s foundational AI model.

 

This is not the first time the government is tapping into a global network of high-skill talent. In the Budget 2025, the finance minister proposed a presumptive taxation regime for non-Indian residents providing services to electronics-manufacturing companies operating in India. Senior government officials told Business Standard this would help companies attract top global talent easily.

 

Under the new presumptive regime, which will take effect on April 1, the government has proposed that only 25 per cent of the remuneration received by non-residents will be treated as taxable profits. This, in turn, will mean that a majority of non-residents who stay in India for extended periods will pay an effective tax of less than 10 per cent on their gross income, experts said.