India Boosts AI Power: 20,000 New GPUs & Health Initiatives Launched

Vaishnaw emphasised the increased use of Artificial Intelligence in creative content and encouraged people to keep a watch on the usage of AI.

"AI is being used very effectively in the world of creative content. The way startups and companies are showcasing their use of technology here is worth seeing... In particular, you should definitely check out Kuku's platform. It has immense potential," Vaishnaw said.

Earlier, Ashwini Vaishnaw said India is expected to add another 20,000 GPUs, bringing the total available capacity to more than 38,000 GPUs, with the aim of strengthening the country's AI compute infrastructure.

A GPU or Graphics Processing Unit is a powerful computer chip that helps machines think faster, process images, run AI programs, and handle complex tasks more efficiently than a regular processor.

Under the IndiaAI Mission, more than 38,000 high-end GPUs have been onboarded and are available at about Rs 65 per hour, which is nearly one-third of the global average cost.

Talking to reporters today, Vaishnaw said the next phase of India's AI strategy will place design and research and development at its core, moving beyond foundational infrastructure to building solutions tailored to India's needs.

He also indicated that AI-related investments are likely to exceed USD 200 billion at the ongoing India AI Impact Summit, including USD 90 billion already committed.

The government is in discussions with several large companies regarding further investments in AI infrastructure, though he said names cannot be disclosed at this stage.

He emphasised that AI awareness initiatives are already being implemented across schools in both rural and urban areas, incorporating India's cultural context and regional languages in AI development.

On the regulatory front, Vaishnaw noted that a broad consensus is emerging among global leaders on a techno-legal approach to AI governance. India is currently in touch with around 30 countries on technological collaboration and policy development in artificial intelligence.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda also launched two pioneering digital health initiatives -- SAHI (Secure AI for Health Initiative) and BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI) -- during the India AI Impact Summit.

The launch marks a significant milestone in advancing safe, ethical, and evidence-based deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India's healthcare ecosystem.

Describing the Summit as both timely and necessary, Nadda said that AI has the "fundamental power" to transform every aspect of our economy, keeping healthcare at the "very heart" of the transformation.

"AI today is no longer a futuristic idea; it has the fundamental power to transform every aspect of our economy. Healthcare is at the very heart of this transformation. AI does not operate in isolation, but thrives on strong digital infrastructure and high-quality data," he said.

The Summit positions India as a convenor and partner in global AI cooperation, supporting shared standards, collaborative frameworks, and scalable solutions for public good. It marks a transition from dialogue to delivery, reinforcing India's commitment to responsible, inclusive, and development-focused AI pathways.

- ANI