India’s Next Green Revolution: AI-Powered Farming and Sovereign LLMs

The Indian government has signaled a paradigm shift in its approach to food security and rural economics, positioning artificial intelligence as the primary driver of what Union Minister Jitendra Singh calls the country's next agricultural revolution. Speaking at the AI4Agri 2026 Summit in Mumbai, Singh articulated a vision where AI moves beyond experimental pilots to become the central pillar of national farm policy. This transition is not merely about modernization; it is a strategic attempt to solve structural challenges—such as erratic weather patterns, information asymmetry, and fragmented markets—that have historically capped the productivity of India's 600 million farmers.

At the heart of this technological push is the release of Agri Param, a domain-specific large language model (LLM) developed under the BharatGen ecosystem. BharatGen represents India’s sovereign approach to generative AI, designed to reduce dependence on foreign foundational models. Agri Param is particularly notable for its linguistic breadth, supporting 22 Indian languages. By enabling a farmer in Maharashtra to receive real-time advisory services in Marathi, or a farmer in Bihar in Bhojpuri, the government is addressing the last-mile barrier of technical literacy. This localized approach ensures that complex data regarding soil health, pest management, and market pricing is accessible to those who need it most, effectively democratizing expert-level agricultural knowledge.

“

At the heart of this technological push is the release of Agri Param, a domain-specific large language model (LLM) developed under the BharatGen ecosystem.

The financial and infrastructural backbone of this initiative is the ₹10,372-crore India AI Mission. This massive investment is geared toward building sovereign compute capacity and high-quality datasets, which are essential for training models like Agri Param. By treating agriculture as a strategic sector rather than a legacy one, the government is inviting a new wave of investment into deep-tech startups. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is further facilitating this by supporting the India AI Open Stack. This interoperable framework allows startups and researchers to build applications that can seamlessly integrate with national datasets, creating a plug-and-play ecosystem for agricultural innovation.

Research and development are being funneled through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), which is currently funding collaborations between premier institutions like the IITs, IISc, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). These partnerships are focused on high-impact applications, including drone-based crop monitoring and satellite-driven soil mapping. These technologies complement existing programs like the Swamitva Mission and Soil Health Card initiative, providing a more granular, data-driven view of the Indian landscape. The integration of AI with these existing datasets allows for predictive modeling that can warn farmers of impending weather anomalies or market gluts before they occur.

The implications of this AI-driven shift extend far beyond India’s borders. Singh noted that a mere 10% gain in productivity for the 600 million farmers across the Global South would represent the single largest poverty-reduction opportunity of the century. As India refines its Agri-AI model, it positions itself as a leader in AI for Social Good, providing a blueprint for other developing nations to follow. However, the success of this revolution will depend on the speed of infrastructure deployment and the ability of the India AI Mission to maintain its momentum in building out the necessary compute power.

Looking ahead, the industry should watch for the implementation of the MahaAgri-AI Policy 2025–29, which is expected to serve as a regional testing ground for these national initiatives. The focus will likely shift toward the ethical use of data and ensuring that the benefits of AI are distributed equitably across smallholder farms. As the India AI Open Stack matures, the entry of private sector players and global investors into the Indian Agri-Tech space is expected to accelerate, potentially turning India into a global hub for agricultural AI solutions.