Govt reviewing IndiaAI Mission amid concerns over access to advanced AI models: Report

The government is undertaking a review of the IndiaAI Mission amid growing concerns over access to advanced artificial intelligence technologies and the strategic risks associated with dependence on overseas providers, according to a report by The Financial Express.

The reassessment comes in the wake of a recent US government directive that forced artificial intelligence startup Anthropic to suspend global access to its newly launched Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models, intensifying discussions worldwide on technological sovereignty and access to frontier technologies.

Consultations are underway with industry leaders, researchers, startups and policymakers to redefine the objectives of the IndiaAI Mission, reported The Financial Express citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the report, officials believe the assumptions underpinning AI policy are changing rapidly as frontier technologies increasingly intersect with geopolitics, national security and economic competitiveness.

Anthropic said on Saturday that it had been directed by US authorities to suspend access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 worldwide.

The company said the export control directive bars access to the models by "any foreign national, whether inside or outside the United States", including some of its own employees, effectively treating the systems as export-controlled technology.

"The net effect of this order is that we must abruptly disable Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for all our customers to ensure compliance," Anthropic said in a statement.

According to the Financial Express report, the move has triggered concerns in several countries about reliance on foreign-controlled AI platforms and the possibility that access to advanced systems could become subject to national security considerations and export restrictions.

The newspaper reported that the ongoing review of the IndiaAI Mission is examining whether its existing priorities remain aligned with the changing environment.

The current mission, with an outlay of ₹10,372 crore, has focussed largely on creating AI computing infrastructure and supporting the development of indigenous AI models.

However, officials quoted by the newspaper said the rapid proliferation of open-source AI models globally has altered the landscape.

"The question is no longer simply about creating another model. The focus is shifting towards building capabilities that ensure that our long-term interests are protected," officials told The Financial Express.

According to the report, discussions are converging around sovereignty, safety, talent and research, which could form the foundation of a revamped IndiaAI framework.

The report said India is expected to strengthen capabilities not only for deploying AI systems but also for evaluating, auditing and securing them.

The review is also examining funding requirements for the sector.

Several industry stakeholders have argued that significantly larger investments will be necessary if India is to build meaningful capabilities across all four focus areas.

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai recently called for a more ambitious national AI effort, saying existing programmes are "too slow" and "way too small" to make a significant impact.

In a post on X, Pai urged the creation of a strengthened India AI Mission and proposed an annual fund of ₹50,000 crore for deep technology and AI, along with a ₹2 lakh crore guarantee fund to support cloud infrastructure, hardware and semiconductor development.

Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho, also argued that recent developments underscore the importance of strengthening domestic and open-source AI ecosystems rather than relying exclusively on foreign platforms.

"Technology is the ultimate weapon. National sovereignty, national security, all of it is now about technology," Vembu said in a post on X, while calling for greater investment in research and development.