Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has advanced India’s AI ambitions with global partnerships and the launch of a ₹10,000-crore IndiaAI Mission, powered by over 18,000 GPUs. Under his watch, India is committed to developing its own large language models, aiming to rival global platforms like ChatGPT and DeepSeek.

In early 2024, he announced the IndiaAI Safety Institute, ensuring models are built safely and ethically using domestic data.

Vaishnaw’s global influence was evident at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum 2025, where he championed “AI for all”, highlighting India’s focus on equity, democratisation, and transparency. He also co-hosted a summit in Paris to set responsible global AI standards.

His push extends beyond policy. India is now designing 3nm chips domestically and ramping up semiconductor and GPU infrastructure. The minister has invited OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to collaborate on building a local AI stack (GPUs, models, and apps).