The Indian government is gearing up to bolster startups venturing into artificial intelligence (AI) model training by establishing a substantial Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) cluster as part of the India AI program, according to Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s announcement on September 22.
This GPU cluster will consist of a network of computers, each equipped with GPUs, primarily designed to facilitate the training of neural networks for image and video processing.
Minister Chandrasekhar highlighted the government’s commitment to support both startups and foreign companies aiming to foster domestic intellectual property in AI-focused chip design. This initiative falls under the design-linked incentive scheme, with an allocated budget of Rs 1,100-1,200 crore.
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Chandrasekhar emphasized the importance of AI in practical applications, focusing on sectors such as healthcare, governance, and education. The government aims to create specialized AI-integrated circuits tailored to these fields.
In conjunction with this announcement, he mentioned the groundbreaking of a semiconductor packaging and assembly plant by Micron in Gujarat’s Sanand. This $2.75 billion investment demonstrates India’s growing significance in the global electronics value chain and sets a precedent for other chip companies and investors.
The project will receive substantial support, with 50 percent fiscal backing from the central government and additional incentives representing 20 percent of the total project cost from the state of Gujarat. Construction of the assembly and test facility is scheduled to commence in 2023, with Phase 1 becoming operational in late 2024.
