IndiaAI, an Independent Business Division (IBD) under the Digital India Corporation, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft to drive the adoption and development of artificial intelligence (AI) in India. This strategic partnership is aligned with the core objectives of India AI Mission.

The key highlights of the collaboration are as under:

• Microsoft, in partnership with IndiaAI, will skill 500,000 individuals, including students, educators, developers, government officials, and women entrepreneurs, by 2026.
• Establish "AI Catalysts," a Center of Excellence, to promote rural AI innovation in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and equip 100,000 AI innovators and developers through hackathons, community building, and an AI marketplace.
• Set up AI Productivity Labs in 20 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs)/NIELIT centers across 10 states to train 20,000 educators and empower 100,000 students with foundational AI courses in 200 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
• Focus on developing AI-enabled solutions for critical sectors, leveraging Microsoft Research (MSR)'s expertise.
• Microsoft’s Founders Hub program will extend benefits, including Azure credits, business resources, and mentorship, to up to 1,000 AI startups under the IndiaAI Mission, fostering innovation and growth in India’s startup ecosystem.
• Develop foundational models with Indic language support to address India’s linguistic diversity and unique requirements, ensuring cultural and contextual relevance.
• Support IndiaAI in building a robust and scalable datasets platform, including tools for dataset curation, annotation, and synthetic data generation.
• Collaborate to create frameworks, standards, and evaluation metrics for responsible AI development, supporting the establishment of an AI Safety Institute in India.

Aim to position India as a leader in AI applications

Highlighting the power of collaborative innovation for India, Shri Abhishek Singh, CEO, IndiaAI Mission stated that "India AI Mission is being implemented by the Government of India with the objective of addressing key issues that can help India take the leadership in building applications using AI. This strategy focuses on building partnerships with Industry and Academia. Towards this, the collaboration with Microsoft aligns with the core pillars of the IndiaAI Mission, focusing on skilling, innovation, and responsible AI development. By training 500,000 individuals, fostering innovation through AI Centers of Excellence, and delivering AI-driven solutions in critical sectors, we are advancing India's AI ecosystem. This partnership emphasizes inclusivity by empowering underserved communities, promoting ethical AI practices and supporting startups to drive economic growth. Together, we are committed to positioning India as a global AI leader and creating a sustainable and equitable future for all."

India’s Journey towards becoming an AI-First nation

Puneet Chandok, President, Microsoft India and South Asia highlighted that  "We are proud to come together with India AI to advance AI and emerging technologies in India. This collaboration underscores Microsoft's commitment to copiloting India on its journey to become an AI-first nation. By skilling 500,000 individuals, establishing AI Centers of Excellence, and setting up AI Productivity Labs, we aim to democratize access to AI, empower communities, and foster innovation, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Together with India AI, we are dedicated to accelerating AI adoption and creating a sustainable future for all."

This collaboration underscores the shared vision of IndiaAI and Microsoft to harness AI’s potential for inclusive development and economic transformation. By prioritizing skilling, innovation, datasets and responsible AI practices, the collaboration aims to address citizen-scale challenges, foster entrepreneurship and build a robust AI ecosystem in India. By advancing AI innovation and adoption, the collaboration seeks to position India as a global leader in AI while driving inclusive and sustainable growth.

*****

Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha