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The Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan has announced that the government is considering increasing compute capacity through viability gap funding under a Rs 10,372/-crore India AI mission. This initiative aims to build high-tech capabilities in AI through a public-private partnership model.
The increasing advancements in AI have led to a significant rise in the demand for GPU-based servers. Unlike traditional CPUs, GPUs are more suited for AI tasks due to their ability to handle parallel processing. This makes them ideal for complex computations, such as training neural networks and processing large datasets.
Enhancing Capacity
Under the mission, supercomputing capacity with over 10,000 GPUs will be made available to various stakeholders, creating a foundation for an AI ecosystem in India. The mission allocates more than Rs 4,500/- crore for building this computing capacity; and further funding will be considered based on the actual capacity developed.
AI Services on Cloud and Supercomputing Capacity
As part of the India AI Mission, the Indian government has opened bids for the empanelment of entities to provide AI services on the Cloud. This initiative aims to provide access to supercomputing resources, including over 10,000 GPUs, to support AI development in the country.
With the global demand for AI increasing, the government’s efforts to advance GPU-based infrastructure are seen as a crucial step in enhancing India’s AI capabilities.
Support for the SIs
The SI community has welcomed this move by the government. They feel it will empower different functions of systems integration.
Nilesh Kadakia, Chairman, ASIRT says, “The India AI Mission, a government initiative to advance GPU-based infrastructure, aims to significantly enhance the country's AI capabilities. This ecosystem will empower the development of neural networks and enable the processing of large datasets on a broader scale. As a result, India will emerge as a key player in the global AI landscape, contributing to both technological advancements and economic growth.”
Sanjay Ruparel, Director, Ruparel Computers says, “The Indian government’s plan to use powerful servers with GPUs for artificial intelligence (AI) is a smart move. It means that businesses, researchers and startups will have a strong platform to use AI for creative solutions. This investment not only helps the AI industry, but also promotes collaboration and progress in areas like supercomputing, Cloud services and high-performance computing. Overall, it’s a positive step for India’s tech future.”
Pankaj Shah, CEO, Technoplus Systems says, “This strategic move by present Government’s focus on early mover advantage on AI, which has its pros and cons, will be a game changer for India and the world, encompassing all industries and humankind as well.”
Overall, the IT industry, especially those who work with the system integration, AI, Cloud computing etc. have welcomed the move. It remains to be seen how this plan is implemented and set into motion. After it is activated, we can come back to get a second review of the efficacy of this plan.