In an effort to bolster its standing in India’s AI infrastructure race, Gujarat is turning to Perplexity AI. The state is making a play for the company as part of a broader push to deepen its role in the sector.
The subject was on the agenda when Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel sat down with Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas in the US while the state delegation was there. They talked over the prospect of some collaboration, be it an engineering and R&D operation or data-centre and hybrid infrastructure within Gujarat.
Patel described it as an “insightful meeting” and one that is in keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to put India on the map as a centre for deep technology and artificial intelligence.
What Gujarat Is Offering Perplexity AI
The two sides have been exploring a few avenues:
- A Perplexity R&D and engineering footprint in the state
- The establishment of a local data centre
- A hybrid approach with a data-centre developer
At this stage they are exploratory in nature; no commercial agreement has been struck, nor is there any word on investment, location or timelines.
Gujarat’s case rests on a number of things that would appeal to an AI firm wanting to grow in India: a reliable policy framework, digital infrastructure and an ever-larger talent pool.
Why Gujarat Is Making a Bigger AI Infrastructure Push
This is not an isolated event. The Gujarat delegation has been in talks with Google, Micron and TiE as part of a wider technology offensive ahead of the 2027 Vibrant Gujarat Summit. The state is putting itself forward in every corner of the tech ecosystem, from semiconductors and workforce skilling to AI-driven public services. It has even put out the Viksit Gujarat Data Centre Policy for 2026–29, with Dholera in mind as a hyperscale hub and a target of 7.5 GW in green AI capacity.
Why the Perplexity-Gujarat Talks Matter
There is reason to take note of the Perplexity engagement. An R&D base in the state would do more than add another name to the roll call of tech companies in Gujarat; it would feed into the local innovation and research environment. And a piece of local infrastructure could be of use for India-centric AI workloads where data residency and low latency matter.
For Perplexity, Gujarat may well be a way to extend its reach in India as the need for relevant, scalable AI grows. For the state, the objective is to be a contender across the whole AI stack, from the chips to the enterprise deployment.
