Maharashtra Unveils AI Policy 2026 to Drive ₹10,000 Crore Tech Boom
Maharashtra has launched its AI Policy 2026, aiming to turn the state into a leader in artificial intelligence. The plan includes major investments, job creation, and new infrastructure to support tech-driven growth. The announcement came as ImagiNxt 2026, India’s Festival of Technology & Innovation, kicked off on Thursday with a focus on AI and deeptech.
The policy targets over ₹10,000 crore in investments and 1.5 lakh new AI jobs by 2031. It also introduces initiatives like AI Centres of Excellence, innovation hubs, and a ₹500 crore startup fund to boost the sector. The two-day ImagiNxt 2026 event has drawn more than 10,000 attendees, including 250 startups, 100 investors, and 150 speakers. Discussions centred on AI’s role in governance, rural development, and economic expansion. Arnab Goswami and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis highlighted Maharashtra’s ambition to become a $1 trillion economy by 2030, with AI playing a key part in this growth.
Maharashtra already leads India in foreign direct investment, contributing over 31% of the national total. The AI Policy 2026 outlines plans for six AI Centres of Excellence, five AI Innovation Cities, and twelve incubators. It also includes skilling programmes for 2 lakh youth and professionals, along with a shared compute infrastructure of 2,000 GPUs.
Beyond AI, the government is pushing deep-tech innovation through the India AI Mission, the National Quantum Mission, and a proposed ₹1 lakh crore R&D fund. These efforts align with broader goals, such as expanding India’s space economy from nearly USD 9 billion to USD 40-45 billion in the next decade. The country’s space startup sector has grown rapidly, from a handful of firms to over 400 in just five years.
One of the policy’s key applications is Mahavistaar, an AI platform designed for farmers. It provides crop analysis, weather updates, pest predictions, and multilingual support to improve agricultural productivity. The AI Policy 2026 sets clear targets: ₹10,000 crore in investments, 1.5 lakh new jobs, and expanded tech infrastructure. Maharashtra’s push for AI aligns with national efforts to grow India’s space and deep-tech sectors. The state’s focus on skilling, innovation hubs, and rural AI tools reflects its broader economic ambitions.
