Tamil Nadu announces ₹398cr for AI IT department, plans Arivagam
India
Tamil Nadu just announced a ₹398 crore budget to power up its Artificial Intelligence, IT, and Digital Services Department for 2026.
The big news? The state plans to build Arivagam, an AI and innovation city designed to put Tamil Nadu on the tech map.
TN SPARK extends to 2,600 schools
Arivagam is set to become a hotspot for AI startups, working in domains like quantum technology and computer infrastructure, and will feature an AI university plus an international skill development center.
There's also a push to teach more students about AI: 2,600 more government schools will get the Tamil Nadu School Programme for Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Knowledge of online tools (TN SPARK), and 24,000 students will be trained in AI/ML trades at Industrial Training Institutes.