Rajasthan to establish its first data centre to support AI infrastructure
State’s AI skilling programme targets training 10 lakh youth
India’s AI growth model and democratisation are gaining global recognition, says Vaishnaw
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Rajasthan will soon get its first data centre, with work set to begin shortly. Speaking at the Regional AI Impact Conference in Rajasthan, he also praised the state government’s AI skilling programme aimed at training 10 lakh young people.
Vaishnaw said Rajasthan is playing a crucial role in India’s ambition to become a global artificial intelligence hub, noting that the state’s focus on skilling and innovation will empower youth and strengthen India’s AI ecosystem.
1 January 2026
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He also commended IIT Jodhpur for its continued collaboration with the IndiaAI Mission and its contributions to AI research and development. Emphasising the need for nationwide participation, Vaishnaw said every state must contribute to building a complete AI stack, including large-scale skilling initiatives and affordable GPU infrastructure for researchers, startups, and scholars.
Highlighting India’s growing global stature in AI, the minister said the country’s democratisation of AI is being widely recognised. He noted that several countries are emulating India’s AI journey and cited Stanford University’s ranking of India among the world’s top three AI-performing nations.
Calling AI a transformative force, Vaishnaw compared its impact to the Industrial Revolution and the advent of computers. He attended the conference virtually alongside Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Union Minister of State Jitin Prasada, Rajasthan Cabinet Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, and Abhishek Singh, CEO of the IndiaAI Mission.
The Regional AI Impact Conference 2026 was held as a pre-event to the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to take place from 16 to 20 February in New Delhi. The summit aims to shift the global AI discourse from dialogue to measurable impact, guided by the principles of People, Planet, and Progress. The conference was organised on the third day of the Rajasthan DigiFest X TiE Global Summit 2026.
