The India AI Mission is set to provide centralized computing resources with around 14,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) after ten selected firms matched the lowest bids for various GPU categories. A government official, speaking anonymously, confirmed this update.
Of the allocated GPUs, 70% are high-performance models like Nvidia’s H100, while the remaining 30% are lower-end variants. Approximately 10,000 GPUs are already accessible through Yotta Data Services, Tata Communications, AWS’s MSPs, and E2E Networks, while firms like Jio Platforms and CtrlS Datacenters will acquire the remaining 4,000 GPUs.
Initially, bidders proposed supplying 18,693 GPUs, but 14,000 were finalized after meeting the L1 bid rates announced by the IT Ministry on January 30. The IndiaAI Mission, with a total budget of ₹10,371.92 crore ($1.25 billion), has allocated ₹4,563.36 crore (44%) to computing infrastructure for five years. Companies will remain empanelled for three years, extendable by another year.
The IndiaAI Compute Portal will soon launch, allowing government bodies, research institutions, and startups to request computing resources. Additionally, eligible users can avail up to 40% subsidies on compute expenses. A committee will assess subsidy applications, with nationally significant projects qualifying for maximum benefits.
With GPU costs slashed by 42% from market rates, users will pay as low as ₹100 per GPU hour after subsidies. High-speed storage and network services have also been secured at competitive rates.
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