To advance India’s AI and digital skill ecosystem, IBM announced a partnership with the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) on October 31 to establish a National AI Lab at AICTE Headquarters in New Delhi. The announcement was made during IBM’s annual CSR event, a pre-summit initiative leading up to the India-AI Impact Summit 2026.
The new state-of-the-art lab will serve as a national hub for AI research, skilling, and innovation, providing students, educators, and researchers across India access to advanced AI infrastructure, software platforms, and a digital repository.
It aims to accelerate India’s readiness for the digital economy by integrating AI learning with real-world applications in cloud computing, sustainability, and emerging technologies.
Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan lauded the initiative, stating that “Establishing a state-of-the-art AI Lab at AICTE Headquarters is a commendable initiative aimed at promoting and deepening AI-centric research, innovation, and skilling across the country.”
He added that the partnership aligns perfectly with the Government of India’s vision of fostering Industry-Academia collaboration to achieve “Viksit Bharat” and strengthen India’s position as a global hub for future skills. “By bringing together the strengths of industry expertise and academic excellence, this collaboration will empower our youth with industry-relevant skills and serve as a model for other industry partners to engage deeply with academia,” he said.
At the core of this initiative is IBM SkillsBuild, IBM’s global education platform offering more than 1,000 courses in AI and emerging technologies. The National AI Lab will extend its reach across AICTE’s vast network of technical institutions, expanding IBM’s commitment to skill 30 million people globally by 2030, including 2 million in AI by 2026.
With over 16 million learners already engaged worldwide, the program will combine online learning with in-person workshops, mentorship, and innovation challenges to promote applied AI learning.
Justina Nixon-Saintil, VP, corporate social responsibility and chief impact officer, IBM, said, “By combining IBM SkillsBuild with the AI Lab’s resources, we will support India’s students and educators in solving some of society’s biggest challenges.”
Echoing this vision, Sandip Patel, MD, IBM India & South Asia, said, “India is at a pivotal moment to lead the AI-powered global economy. Our collaboration with AICTE to establish the National AI Lab in New Delhi will serve as a nucleus for research, skill development, and real-world AI applications.”The collaboration reinforces IBM’s long-standing focus on AI skilling initiatives in India and complements AICTE’s mission to empower students and educators with cutting-edge resources.
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