The Puducherry government has initiated plans to establish an Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence (AI CoE), with healthcare emerging as one of its primary focus areas, as the Union Territory seeks to strengthen AI adoption across public services under the IndiaAI Mission.
The Directorate of Information Technology has issued an Expression of Interest inviting industry, academic and research organisations to partner in setting up the proposed AI Centre of Excellence. The initiative aims to accelerate artificial intelligence research, skill development and deployment while encouraging collaboration between government, academia and the private sector.
According to the proposal, the AI CoE will be established as a Section 8 company under the Companies Act, with an estimated investment of ₹20 crore over four years. The funding model will follow a 40:40:20 structure, with contributions from the Government of India, the Puducherry government and participating industry or academic partners respectively.
Healthcare has been identified as one of the priority sectors where artificial intelligence can improve service delivery, decision making and operational efficiency. The proposed centre is expected to support the development of AI driven solutions for healthcare administration, diagnostics, disease surveillance, patient management and other public health initiatives while promoting research and innovation in medical technologies.
Beyond healthcare, the Centre of Excellence is expected to promote AI adoption across multiple government departments, including education, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, urban development, transport, revenue administration and public utilities. The objective is to develop practical AI applications that improve citizen services, enhance governance and increase operational efficiency across departments.
The initiative aligns with the broader objectives of the IndiaAI Mission, which focuses on expanding AI compute infrastructure, supporting indigenous foundation models, developing AI datasets, strengthening future skills, encouraging responsible AI practices and promoting AI based applications across sectors. Puducherry's proposal seeks to leverage these national priorities while building a regional AI ecosystem that can support long term digital transformation.
The government has invited participation from companies, universities, research institutions and technology organisations with expertise in artificial intelligence, data science and digital innovation. Selected partners are expected to contribute not only financially but also through technology expertise, research capabilities, training programmes and industry collaborations.
The Centre of Excellence is also expected to function as a hub for AI skilling by conducting training programmes, workshops, certification courses and collaborative research projects. Officials believe building local AI talent will help strengthen Puducherry's digital economy while supporting startups, researchers and technology professionals working on AI applications.
The announcement comes as governments across India continue investing in AI infrastructure and sector specific Centres of Excellence following the Centre's push to expand artificial intelligence capabilities nationwide. Healthcare has emerged as one of the fastest growing areas for AI deployment, with increasing interest in clinical decision support, predictive analytics, medical imaging and public health management.
For technology companies and solution providers, Puducherry's AI CoE presents opportunities to collaborate on public sector AI projects while contributing to research and innovation. As governments increasingly adopt AI driven digital services, partnerships between public institutions, academia and industry are expected to play a critical role in scaling responsible AI adoption across India.