Time Ripe For India To Build AI Talent Repatriation Program, Suggests NITI Aayog
The time for incremental progress is over and the next decade will define global artificial intelligence leadership, Debjani Ghosh, distinguished fellow at NITI Ayog, said.
With the rise of DeepSeek, the time is perfect for India to build a talent repatriation program, to capitalise on the country's AI talent, according to NITI Aayog.
In a discussion paper on Friday, Debjani Ghosh, distinguished fellow at the think-tank, noted that India needs world class talent to position India as a disruptor, versus a follower.
"Given that a significant percentage of the global AI talent is of Indian origin, this is the perfect time to build a Talent Repatriation Program to incentivise the best talent to build for India, as we nurture homegrown talent. Last but not the least, we need to create an environment conducive to scalable innovation, and the urgency for scale and impact," she wrote.
The time for incremental progress is over and the next decade will define global artificial intelligence leadership, Ghosh added. "India has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to emerge as both an innovator and a leader in equitable AI development."
The call for such a program comes after Chinese AI lab DeepSeek gained attention as a formidable competitor in the global AI race. Its architectural innovations and cost-effective approaches have sent shockwaves through the industry, with its model efficiency, challenging the notion that AI development is capital heavy.
The Indian government has also pushed ahead with its IndiaAI Mission, focusing on AI infrastructure, datasets, applications as well as models.
India has now procured 18,693 GPUs to provide resources to researchers, startups, and businesses across the country, while call for proposals have been sent to invite startups and companies, to build India's own sovereign foundational models.
