Ola Founder Bhavish Aggarwal has highlighted the “unique irony” of India influencing global chip designs without having its own homegrown chip, announcing Ola’s ambitious plan to develop India’s first AI chip. Despite acknowledging the inherent risks of creating a chip from scratch, Aggarwal expressed confidence in the company’s ability to meet this challenge.
In a recent discussion with PTI editors, Aggarwal detailed his vision for this groundbreaking project, noting that Ola will collaborate with international foundries, rather than establishing its own fabrication facility. Potential partners include those in Taiwan, Korea, and the U.S., with hopes that a state-of-the-art fab may be established in India in the future.
Aggarwal, a proponent of India’s digital sovereignty, is spearheading Krutrim’s initiative to develop a comprehensive suite of AI technologies, including foundational models, cloud infrastructure, and silicon. Krutrim, named after the Sanskrit word for “artificial,” aims to deliver India’s first AI chip family by 2026. This includes chips named ‘Bodhi’ for AI applications, ‘Sarv’ for general computing, and ‘Ojas’ for edge computing.
Krutrim has already forged strategic alliances with major global players such as Arm and Untether AI to advance its chip development. Aggarwal emphasized the significance of this venture, stating that it will help India transition from being a technology adopter to a leader in digital innovation.
The company plans to use its chip initially for internal needs, leveraging its vertically integrated business model which includes proprietary AI, cloud solutions, and silicon. Over time, Krutrim aims to offer its chips to other companies across various sectors.
Aggarwal acknowledged the ambitious nature of the project, but his confidence is buoyed by the strong technical capabilities and skilled team at Krutrim. “While this is indeed a moonshot, we are committed to pursuing it,” he asserted.
