Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government on Tuesday granted in-principle approval for the establishment of the Indian AI Research Organization (IAIRO) at GIFT City in Gandhinagar. The Bhupendra Patel-led BJP government announced an allocation of Rs 300 crore to support the centre’s creation and operations.
Tripartite Partnership Model
The IAIRO will be established through a tripartite partnership involving:
- State Government of Gujarat
- Union Government of India
- Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) as the anchor private partner
The IPA, representing 23 leading pharmaceutical companies including Cipla, Torrent Pharma, and Sun Pharma, will contribute Rs 25 crore for the year 2025–26.
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Operational and Legal Framework
The government stated that IAIRO will be made operational as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in GIFT City from 1 January 2026. It will be constituted as a non-profit institute under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, enabling it to focus on research without commercial profit pressures.
Core Activities and Research Focus
IAIRO will focus on cutting-edge AI research and development across multiple sectors. Core activities include:
- Advanced AI R&D and AI-based product development
- Collaboration among academic institutions, industries, startups, and the government
- Intellectual Property (IP) creation and patentable innovations
- Capacity building and policy-based research
The organization will also operate under a hybrid compute model, combining on-premise GPU infrastructure with national AI platforms such as the IndiaAI Cloud, to enable large-scale AI computations and projects.
Strategic Importance
The establishment of IAIRO at GIFT City aims to position Gujarat as a hub for AI research in India, particularly in pharmaceutical applications through IPA’s involvement. By fostering collaboration between industry, government, and academia, the initiative is expected to accelerate AI innovation, product development, and policy research in critical sectors.
