Source: TH
Why in News?
The government announced plans to significantly expand computing infrastructure under the IndiaAI Mission, with the upcoming AI Mission 2.0 focusing heavily on research, innovation and AI adoption.
Announcement
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made the announcement at the AI Impact Summit, New Delhi.
Key Highlights
1. Expansion of Common Compute Infrastructure
- Government will procure 20,000 additional GPUs (Graphics Processing Units).
- These will be added to the government-run common compute cluster.
- Timeline: Installation within six months.
Purpose:
Provide shared high-performance computing resources to:
- Start-ups
- Researchers
- Academia
- Indian AI developers
2. AI Mission 2.0 — Focus Areas
The next phase of the IndiaAI Mission will emphasise:
- Artificial Intelligence research and development (R&D)
- Innovation and AI diffusion across sectors
- Strengthening computing infrastructure
- Development of impactful AI applications
3. Indigenous AI Development
- Government supporting development of an Indian foundational large language model (LLM).
- Objective: enable locally built AI solutions with real-world impact.
Objective of the Initiative
- Democratise access to advanced computing resources.
- Reduce dependence on foreign AI infrastructure.
- Promote domestic AI innovation ecosystem.
- Accelerate AI-driven economic and social applications.
What is “Common Compute”?
A shared national computing infrastructure that provides:
- High-performance GPUs
- AI training capability
- Large-scale data processing
- Affordable access to advanced computing
It supports smaller players who cannot build their own infrastructure.
