AWS partners with empanelled SHI India to support AI infrastructure under IndiaAI Mission
The tie-up highlights how AI infrastructure under the national programme is being delivered through approved partners rather than direct hyperscaler access.
Amazon Web Services has announced a collaboration with SHI India (formerly Locuz) to support indigenous AI model development under the IndiaAI Mission, with AWS‑managed AI services provisioned by an empanelled partner.
SHI India, an AWS Partner Network (APN) Partner empanelled under the IndiaAI Mission, has provisioned AWS AI services including Amazon SageMaker.
This gives government departments, startups, enterprises, academic institutions, and R&D organisations the option to train and customise large language models without having to manage complex AI infrastructure.
AWS said the collaboration is aimed at widening access to AI infrastructure and enabling model development across sectors as part of the IndiaAI Mission.
AWS India and South Asia, president, Sandeep Dutta, said, the collaboration with SHI India will ensure that organisations across the country have both the infrastructure and the capability to turn AI from experimentation into real-world impact.
This is how India will build solutions that serve citizens and set global standards, Dutta added.
A central element of the announcement is SHI India’s empanelment under the IndiaAI Mission, which determines which vendors and partners are authorised to deliver services under the programme.
By enabling access to AWS AI services through an empanelled partner, the collaboration places SHI India in a delivery role for organisations seeking AI infrastructure within the IndiaAI framework.
The approach reflects a partner‑led execution model for AI adoption aligned with public‑sector requirements.
AWS said the initiative makes its AI services accessible to a broad set of users while aligning with programme objectives.
From Locuz to SHI India
The announcement also reflects SHI India’s rebranded identity, following its transition from Locuz.
AWS referred to SHI India’s local implementation capabilities alongside its status as an APN partner supporting a national AI initiative.
The collaboration positions SHI India as a delivery partner for AI infrastructure under the IndiaAI Mission, combining AWS‑managed services with local execution.
At the infrastructure layer, AWS is positioning Amazon SageMaker as the primary platform for large‑scale model training.
According to the company, SageMaker addresses GPU‑based training challenges through automated cluster setup, checkpoint‑less training, and self‑healing node recovery, reducing operational overhead for foundation model development.
AWS also referenced Amazon Bedrock as part of its generative AI stack supporting the collaboration.
While the company did not elaborate on specific use cases, Bedrock’s inclusion indicates that the initiative encompasses both model training and managed generative AI services as organisations adopt AI under the IndiaAI Mission.
Implications for AWS partners
The collaboration underlines the role of empanelled partners in delivering AI infrastructure tied to national initiatives.
SHI India’s position as both an APN partner and an IndiaAI‑empanelled vendor reflects how AWS services are being delivered within the programme.
For the broader AWS partner ecosystem, the announcement highlights the importance of empanelment, execution capability, and readiness as AI initiatives move from intent to implementation.
SHI India’s SVP, Uttam Majumdar, said, “By combining AWS's AI services with our deep understanding of Indian enterprise needs and regulatory requirements, we're enabling organizations to adopt AI with confidence.”
“Our focus is on making enterprise-grade AI accessible, practical, and impactful for Indian organisations across multiple sectors,” Majumdar added.
AWS said the collaboration will support AI adoption by government departments and enterprises, accelerate digital transformation, and enable AI solutions tailored to India’s needs across sectors.