MeitY empanels six firms to power government AI projects

MUMBAI: The government is putting AI to work and it has just picked the team for the job. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has empanelled six companies to deliver artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) services across central ministries and government departments, marking another step in India’s push to embed AI deeper into governance and public services.

Selected by the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), the government’s Digital India implementation arm, the final list includes Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), NEC Corporation India, Cactus Technology Solutions, CoRover, Innefu Labs and Kyndryl Solutions. The six companies emerged from a competitive field of 80 bidders that reportedly included major consulting and technology players such as Deloitte, EY, Fractal Analytics, PwC and KPMG.

The empanelled firms will support projects spanning citizen services, data analytics, automation and process optimisation, providing ministries with access to specialised AI expertise through a standardised procurement framework.

Among the selected companies, Innefu Labs emerged as the lowest bidder, quoting Rs 40.67 lakh. TCS followed with a bid of Rs 42.89 lakh, while NEC India quoted Rs 48.98 lakh. Cactus Technology Solutions submitted a bid of Rs 52.74 lakh, Kyndryl Solutions quoted Rs 55.70 lakh and CoRover bid Rs 69 lakh.

The empanelment will remain valid for two years, with the option of extending it by an additional year.

Beyond central government departments, the framework will also be available to state governments, public sector undertakings and affiliated organisations seeking to deploy AI-led solutions. These entities will be able to engage the empanelled vendors directly, helping reduce procurement timelines and accelerate project execution.

The move comes as governments worldwide increasingly look to AI not merely as a technology experiment but as an operational tool capable of improving service delivery, enhancing decision-making and reducing administrative bottlenecks.

In India, the push is gathering pace. Authorities have already outlined plans to use AI for drafting tenders, streamlining workflows and improving governance processes, signalling a broader shift towards AI-assisted administration.

For the six selected firms, the opportunity extends beyond contracts. As public-sector demand for AI continues to grow, the empanelment positions them at the centre of one of the country’s most ambitious digital transformation efforts.

In the race to modernise governance, India’s next bureaucrat may not be human, it may be an algorithm working quietly behind the scenes.