Invitation for Proposals: Developing India’s Foundational AI Models

The Government of India has approved the IndiaAI Mission, a comprehensive initiative aimed at bridging gaps in the existing AI ecosystem and positioning India as a global hub for AI technology and applications. The mission will be implemented through seven key pillars: IndiaAI Compute, IndiaAI Innovation Center, IndiaAI Dataset Platform, IndiaAI Application Development Initiatives, IndiaAI FutureSkills, IndiaAI Startup Financing, and Safe & Trusted AI. The mission is being spearheaded by IndiaAI, an Independent Business Division under the Digital India Corporation in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

IndiaAI Innovation Center: Call for Proposals

As part of the IndiaAI Innovation Center, the government is inviting proposals from startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs to collaborate on building state-of-the-art foundational AI models trained on Indian datasets. The goal is to develop indigenous AI models that align with global standards while addressing India-specific challenges and opportunities. These models can include Large Multimodal Models (LMMs), Large Language Models (LLMs), or Small Language Models (SLMs) tailored for specific domains or applications.

Objectives of the Initiative:

1. Cultural and Contextual Relevance: Develop AI models trained on diverse and representative Indian datasets to ensure cultural, linguistic, and contextual relevance.
2. Address India-Specific Challenges: Create models capable of tackling challenges in sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, climate change, and governance.
3. Societal and Economic Impact: Support scalable use cases with measurable societal and economic benefits.
4. Ethical AI Principles: Incorporate robust mechanisms for bias mitigation, fairness, and ethical AI practices.
5. Intellectual Property (IP): The IP for the models will remain with the entity, with a perpetual license granted to the government for public use.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following parameters:

1. Team Capability: Expertise in AI research, development, and deployment, with a proven track record of delivering high-impact projects.
2. Approach and Strategy: Innovativeness in building foundational models, dataset sourcing, and preparation, particularly for underrepresented Indian contexts.
3. Data Strategy: Quality, volume, diversity, and interoperability of datasets.
4. Timelines and Milestones: Clear and realistic timelines with well-defined milestones for progress tracking.
5. Use Case Development: Creativity in identifying use cases that address societal challenges at scale.
6. Ethical Considerations: Commitment to fairness, inclusivity, and adherence to ethical AI guidelines, including compliance with the DPDP Act and IT Act.
7. Scalability and Sustainability: Potential for scaling the model’s impact across industries and regions, with long-term sustainability.
8. Financial Viability: Cost-effectiveness and alignment with proposed funding mechanisms.

Funding and Equity Options

1. Direct Funding: Initial financial support for model development, disbursed based on milestones. This can include grants and/or compute credits for AI infrastructure.
2. Equity-Based Funding: IndiaAI may provide additional funding by acquiring equity in the entity, subject to mutual agreement.

Entities at early, mid, or late stages of model development are eligible to apply. Proposals can also be co-financed by industry partners, venture capitalists, angel investors, or non-profits.

Proposal Submission Guidelines

Proposals must include the following sections:

1. Executive Summary: Overview of the proposal, objectives, and expected outcomes.
2. Team Profile: Details of core team members, including expertise and past achievements.
3. Project Plan: Methodology for model development, dataset acquisition, architecture, and training strategy.
4. Data Management Plan: Details on data sourcing, volume, and diversity.
5. Use Case Development: Description of potential use cases and their societal impact.
6. Ethical and Regulatory Compliance: Measures to ensure fairness, transparency, and privacy.
7. Budget and Financial Assessment: Detailed budget breakdown and funding requirements.
8. Supporting Documents: Relevant publications, datasets, or supplementary materials.

Submission Details

• Email: Proposals should be submitted to tenders@indiaai.gov.in with the subject line: Call for Proposals: Foundational AI Models.
• Format: All supporting documents must be attached in PDF format.

Selection Process

1. Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of experts from IndiaAI.
2. Proposals received by the 15th of each month will be evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. The call for proposals will remain open for six months or until a sufficient number of proposals are selected.
4. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a detailed presentation.
5. Selected proposals will receive formal funding or investment agreements.

Contact Information

For queries or additional information, please contact:
Email: tenders@indiaai.gov.in

Conclusion

The IndiaAI Mission represents a transformative step towards establishing India as a global leader in AI innovation. By fostering collaboration between startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs, the initiative aims to develop cutting-edge AI models that address India-specific challenges while adhering to ethical and inclusive principles. This call for proposals is a unique opportunity for innovators to contribute to India’s AI ecosystem and drive impactful change across sectors.