This page collects the questions Indian companies and founders ask most about AI funding — answered straight, with no over-promising. (dgm implements osFoundry, a separate company’s platform — dgm is an independent integration partner, not osFoundry, and not a funding consultancy. General information, not professional or grant advice.)

The one-line summary

There is no general government grant to buy AI software in India. Support targets startups, researchers, compute and government projects. If you’re an established business adopting AI, plan to pay for it — and focus on value, cost and data control. (Full reasoning in who qualifies.)

Quick answers

  • Easiest support to access? Subsidised IndiaAI compute (for model-builders) and DPIIT recognition (tax/IPR relief for qualifying startups); free AIKosh datasets.
  • How does Fund of Funds money reach startups? Indirectly, via AIFs — you raise from a fund manager, not the government. Corpus figures are total pools.
  • Do states give AI grants? Mostly they support startups, GCCs, data centres, skilling and government use — not AI purchases. Verify any figure with the state.
  • R&D tax bonus for AI? No weighted super-deduction — R&D is a 100% deduction, DSIR-approved only. Buying vendor LLMs isn’t R&D.
  • Should I wait for funding before adopting AI? Usually no — see common mistakes.

What about specific sectors?

There’s no dedicated “AI grant” per sector, but the broader landscape differs by industry — see BFSI, manufacturing, healthcare and agritech.

Where dgm fits

dgm is an integration partner, not a funding consultancy. We implement AI on osFoundry for a transparent $399 assessment and $3,999/month (INR approximate; 18% GST domestic). For funding and eligibility, work with official portals, incubators or a specialist.

General information, not professional or grant advice. Verify all scheme details on official .gov.in portals.