- MeitY Secretary S Krishnan outlines India’s dual AI strategy: global openness + local sovereignty.
- Government incentivizes compute infrastructure in India with subsidies and lower rates.
- Over 38,000 GPUs available for AI development, ensuring readiness.
- India’s datasets offered to Indian startups to drive globally competitive, locally contextual innovation.
- Podcast series “IndiaAI in Action” sets the stage for India AI Impact Summit 2026.
New Delhi, 23 November 2025 – S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has emphasized India’s dual approach to artificial intelligence—embracing global innovation while simultaneously strengthening sovereign AI capabilities—during the “IndiaAI in Action” podcast series hosted by the Startup Policy Forum.
“India is not closing itself to anyone who wants to invest, especially in technology. At the same time, we will ensure capacities are built in India, right from the word go,” Krishnan stated, underscoring India’s open-yet-assertive AI playbook.
India’s Dual AI Vision
Krishnan explained that India’s strategy is rooted in global competitiveness and local sovereignty:
- Global openness: welcoming international investment and collaboration.
- Domestic strength: building indigenous compute infrastructure, AI models, and datasets to ensure sovereignty.
“Whatever we make in India should be globally competitive, and therefore you have to make it in the face of global competition,” he added.
The government is incentivizing compute infrastructure located within India with lower rates and subsidies, while offering Indian datasets for use by Indian companies. This ensures startups gain a competitive edge while innovating in a globally relevant yet locally contextualized environment.
Infrastructure and Readiness
Krishnan highlighted India’s readiness:
- Over 38,000 GPUs now available for AI development.
- Commitment to building world-class infrastructure and models.
- Assurance that data, compute, and AI models remain within India, forming the foundation of sovereign AI capabilities.
On regulation, he reaffirmed a pro-innovation stance:
“We are watching the situation closely and stand ready to legislate if required. The Prime Minister himself believes AI should be approached positively, focusing on productivity and opportunity rather than fear.”
About the Podcast
The “IndiaAI in Action” podcast, launched by the Startup Policy Forum in collaboration with the Government of India’s IndiaAI Mission, showcases India’s AI ecosystem and policy vision. It highlights how global engagement and domestic capability-building run in parallel, featuring stories of Indian startups innovating in fintech, healthcare, and generative AI.
The series sets the stage for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, which will convene global thought leaders to shape the trajectory of responsible and inclusive AI.
Please refer to this for the episode:
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