PM Modi Promises India Will Not Be Left Behind in the AI Race

Speaking opening from his heart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that no matter what the world does with artificial intelligence (AI), it will remain incomplete without India.

New Delhi, March 16

Speaking from his heart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that no matter what the world does with artificial intelligence (AI), it will remain incomplete without India.

In a three-hour marathon conversation with American AI researcher and podcaster Lex Fridman, the Prime Minister said he is making "this statement very responsibly".

"One thing I’m about to say might sound strong, and it may even upset some people, but since you’ve asked, I’ll speak openly from my heart. No matter what the world does with AI, it will remain incomplete without India. I’m making this statement very responsibly," said the PM.

"Tell me, you’ve heard my speech at the AI Summit in Paris on global cooperation. What do you think? Can anyone develop AI entirely on their own or is it fundamentally a collaboration where everyone involved supports one another through shared experiences and learning?" he asked the host.

PM Modi stressed that AI development is fundamentally a collaboration.

"Everyone involved supports one another through shared experiences and learning. India isn’t just developing theoretical AI models. It is actively working on and bringing to life AI-driven applications for very specific use cases to ensure that GPU access is available to every section of society," the Prime Minister informed.

India has already created a unique marketplace-based AI model to ensure its broad accessibility. A significant mindset shift is taking place in India, though historical influences, traditional government procedures or the lack of strong support infrastructure made us appear as lagging others.

The government has just launched several key initiatives under the IndiaAI Mission, marking a major milestone in India’s journey towards developing responsible and ethical technology.

The initiatives include AIKosha: IndiaAI Datasets Platform, the AI Compute Portal, the AI Competency Framework for Public Sector Officials, iGOT-AI Mission Karmayogi, the IndiaAI Startups Global Acceleration Program with Station F, the IndiaAI Application Development Initiative and IndiaAI FutureSkills all aimed at strengthening AI-driven research, innovation and skill development.

The AI Compute Portal will initially provide access to 10,000 GPUs, with 8,693 more to be added, offering AI compute services at a highly subsidised rate to startups, researchers, and enterprises.

PM Modi also discussed the 5G roll-out at the Fridman show.

"The world initially believed we were lagging behind, but once we started, we became the fastest nation in the world to roll-out 5G networks in a complete manner. Recently, an American company executive visited me and shared his experiences about this very fact. He told me that if I were to advertise in the US for engineers, I would only receive enough applicants to fill a single room at best. But if I do the same in India, even a football field wouldn’t be enough to hold them,” said PM Modi.

This indicates that India has access to an extraordinarily vast pool of talent, and "that’s our greatest strength".

"After all, artificial intelligence is fundamentally powered, shaped, and guided by human intelligence. Without genuine human intelligence, AI can’t thrive or progress sustainably, and that real intelligence exists abundantly in India’s youth and talent pool, and I believe that’s our greatest asset," PM Modi told Fridman.