New Delhi: India is rapidly emerging as a major hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI), and global tech giant Google has announced a multi-million-dollar investment to advance AI initiatives across healthcare, agriculture, education, and sustainable development. The announcements were made during the Lab to Impact event, held in collaboration with the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
The largest portion of $8 million will be allocated to four AI Centers of Excellence—at IISc Bangalore, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Roorkee—to drive projects in healthcare, agriculture, education, and urban governance.
Targeted AI Initiatives:
- Wadhwani AI will receive $4.5 million to develop AI solutions for health (Health Vaani) and agriculture (Agrivaani/Garuda).
- To promote linguistic diversity, IIT Bombay will establish an Indic Language Technologies Research Hub with $2 million funding.
- $400,000 has been set aside to develop India-specific Health Foundation Models.
- Various AI startups and research projects—including Gnani.AI, CoRover.AI, BharatGen, and IIT Bombay’s Gemma Project—will receive $50,000 each in grants.
Centers of Excellence:
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized that India views AI as a strategic national capability. The four Centers of Excellence will operate as a coordinated national research mission, promoting foundational research, responsible AI, and socially impactful applications, contributing to India’s Developed India 2047 vision.
Driving Innovation in Healthcare:
Under Google’s Health Foundation Model initiative, MedGemma-based AI models will be developed in collaboration with AIIMS experts to enhance dermatology and OPD triaging. IISc teams will research other clinical applications. Google is also working with the National Health Authority (NHA) to standardize millions of medical records using FHIR protocols, enabling patients to better understand their health data and assisting policymakers. Additionally, over 400,000 registered health centers across India will be updated on Google Maps and Search.
Investment Breakdown:
- AI Centers of Excellence: $8 million
- Wadhwani AI: $4.5 million
- IIT Bombay Language Hub: $2 million
- Health Foundation Model: $400,000
- Startups & Research Grants (each): $50,000
Google DeepMind Senior Research Director, Dr. Manish Gupta, noted, “AI has the power to accelerate scientific discovery, enhance human capabilities, and transform the world. India, with widespread adoption and talent, can lead the AI-driven future globally.”
This significant investment underscores India’s strategic importance in AI and its potential to become a global AI leader across multiple critical sectors.
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