TechBharat, Google Cloud partner to power AI innovation in public sector with new CoE

The AI Centre of Excellence in Visakhapatnam will serve as a hub for scalable, public-focused AI solutions, supported by the TechBharat AI Fellowship to train and deploy top talent for real-world governance challenges across India

In a landmark move to advance India's AI capabilities for societal benefit, TechBharat Research Foundation has partnered with Google Cloud India to establish the country's first AI Center of Excellence (CoE) for Public Good. This initiative, set in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, aims to drive AI innovation that addresses key public sector challenges across governance, education, disaster management, and citizen services.

The AI CoE will act as a hub for developing practical, scalable AI solutions tailored to India's unique governance and public service landscape. Located in one of the country’s emerging digital and educational centres, the CoE will collaborate with government bodies, academia, and industry to design and deploy AI technologies with real-world impact.

TechBharat AI Fellowship to train next-gen AI leaders

Central to the initiative is the TechBharat AI Fellowship — a national program to nurture top AI talent focused on public impact. The fellowship will identify, train, and deploy India’s brightest minds to work directly with government departments in developing deployable AI prototypes. The program, hosted three times a year in Visakhapatnam, includes:

·         A 120-day on-site, immersive training experience

·         Over 80 fellows and 100 interns trained annually

·         Monthly stipends and accommodation for fellows

·         Participation in national-level AI Hackathons for Public Good

·         Hands-on collaboration with departments such as Disaster Management, Education, and Real-time Governance

The first cohort is scheduled to begin in October 2025, with a strong focus on building field-ready, AI-driven solutions for public challenges.

Google Cloud to provide technical backbone and mentorship

Google Cloud’s contribution includes access to cutting-edge infrastructure through the Google for Startups Cloud program, as well as mentorship from AI experts and engineers. The collaboration also opens doors for co-developing AI curricula, business support, and go-to-market partnerships.

"This collaboration is a signal of India's readiness to lead globally in responsible AI," said Sridhar Gadhi, Founder of TechBharat. Ashish Wattal, Director of Public Sector at Google Cloud India, added, "Together, we’re creating scalable solutions with the power to transform public services nationally."

With this strategic alliance, India takes a bold step toward embedding AI into its Digital Public Infrastructure in a responsible, inclusive, and impactful way.