Why in news?
The Indian government has outlined plans for a comprehensive “AI stack” to democratise artificial intelligence and make it accessible to citizens, businesses and government services. The concept, described in a 4 February 2026 policy explainer, emphasises developing home‑grown AI applications, investing in computing infrastructure and ensuring reliable energy and data networks.
Background
Artificial intelligence is transforming sectors from healthcare and agriculture to education and justice. However, AI systems require large amounts of data, computing power and energy, and there is concern that benefits will accrue only to a few big companies. India’s proposed AI stack seeks to build layered infrastructure to support inclusive AI innovation, akin to the digital public goods model that underpins the country’s Aadhaar and UPI systems.
Layers of the AI Stack
- Application layer: This top layer consists of user‑facing AI tools such as health diagnostic apps, farm advisory services, chatbots for education, language translation tools and legal assistance. Indian startups are developing AI models in multiple local languages to serve rural populations.
- Model layer: The “brain” of the stack holds the large language and vision models that power applications. Emphasis is on creating open‑source models trained on diverse Indian datasets, with safeguards to ensure fairness and transparency.
- Compute layer: This provides the necessary computing power. India is expanding access to high‑performance computing through national supercomputers like PARAM Siddhi‑AI and AIRAWAT, and via the IndiaAI Compute Portal, which offers subsidised access to thousands of GPUs and TPUs for startups and researchers.
- Data centres & networks: These form the physical infrastructure. India has rapidly extended optical fibre and 5G networks, and cloud service providers are investing heavily in new data centres across the country. Reliable connectivity ensures data can flow securely between users and AI models.
- Energy layer: AI systems consume large amounts of electricity. India’s installed power capacity has grown to over 500 GW, with more than half from non‑fossil sources. Future plans include pumped hydro storage, battery energy projects and private participation in nuclear power to provide clean, steady energy for data centres.
Use cases and benefits
- Healthcare: AI‑enabled diagnostics can detect diseases early and reduce the burden on doctors. Remote consultations and personalised medicine become more accessible.
- Agriculture: Advisory systems deliver customised advice on sowing, irrigation and pest control to farmers, boosting productivity and incomes.
- Education & justice: AI chatbots can translate court documents and textbooks into Indian languages, helping students and litigants understand complex material. E‑courts can manage case flows more efficiently.
- Weather forecasting & disaster management: Machine‑learning models improve forecasting accuracy and aid early warning systems.
By building an AI stack, India hopes to ensure that the benefits of artificial intelligence reach all sections of society while strengthening its position in the global AI race.
Source: PIB
