Odisha Govt. Signs MoUs with HCLTech and Sarvam AI to Build Sovereign AI Ecosystem
The projects are expected to attract investments of nearly ₹15,000 crore over the next five years and generate more than 6,000 direct high-skilled jobs,
The Odisha government has signed strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with HCLTech and Sarvam AI to accelerate the development of sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced digital engineering capabilities, and next-generation technology services in the state. The partnerships form part of Odisha’s broader ambition to emerge as a leading hub for AI, data infrastructure, and Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
As part of the initiative, HCLTech will establish a Global Technology Centre (GTC) in Bhubaneswar with an investment of ₹730 crore. The facility will focus on delivering AI-led digital engineering, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise technology services to global clients and is expected to house 5,000 professionals when it becomes operational by 2028.
In a separate tripartite agreement, HCLTech, Sarvam AI, and the Government of Odisha will jointly establish an AI-optimised Data Centre at the upcoming Odisha Sovereign AI Park. The project involves a planned capital outlay of ₹14,257 crore, including financial assistance from the state government, making it one of India’s largest investments in sovereign AI infrastructure. The facility will also be HCLTech’s first AI Data Centre and is designed to support GPU-intensive workloads required for AI model training and inference.
The AI Data Centre will combine HCLTech’s full-stack AI capabilities with Sarvam AI’s indigenous foundation models to develop sector-specific AI applications for enterprises and government organisations. The infrastructure is expected to support multilingual AI services, public sector digital transformation, secure AI deployment, and India’s broader data sovereignty objectives.
The projects are expected to attract investments of nearly ₹15,000 crore over the next five years and generate more than 6,000 direct high-skilled jobs, while also creating significant indirect employment opportunities and strengthening Odisha’s local technology talent ecosystem through collaborations with educational institutions.
Speaking on the partnership, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCLTech, said the initiative aligns with the vision of Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, adding that the company aims to strengthen India’s sovereign AI ecosystem through focused investments and strategic partnerships. Sarvam AI Co-founder Pratyush Kumar said the Odisha Sovereign AI Park would connect high-performance computing with Indian AI models and real-world enterprise applications at scale.
The announcement comes shortly after HCLTech unveiled its strategy to enter the full-stack AI market, including investments in AI infrastructure, data centres, and enterprise AI solutions. Earlier this month, the company also acquired a strategic stake in Sarvam AI, strengthening their collaboration in building sovereign AI technologies for India.
The latest partnerships reinforce Odisha’s ambition to position itself as a leading destination for AI, advanced computing, and digital infrastructure. With growing demand for sovereign AI, data localisation, and GPU computing, the state is seeking to attract global technology investments while building a secure AI ecosystem capable of serving government, enterprises, startups, and research institutions.