Why? Because local demand isn’t matching supply... or is it? The real issue isn’t lack of need; it’s cost, access, and bureaucracy. Startup founders say they’d love to use subsidised GPUs, but the process is so slow, they’d rather pay more abroad. Meanwhile, some providers are sitting on idle chips because long-term contracts with global AI labs pay better than patchy startup usage. Even with ₹10,372 crore committed, the system’s broken: no direct ownership, clunky approvals, and mismatched hardware. If India wants to build its own AI future, it can’t just rent out compute; it needs to own it, simplify access, and align infrastructure with real research needs. The paradox? We’re exporting the very power we need to innovate at home.