Puch ai: Uttar Pradesh Signs ₹25,000 Crore MoU with
“UP Government and Puch AI have signed a ₹25,000 crore MoU to make Uttar Pradesh India’s first AI Pradesh,” said Siddharth Bhatia, co-founder of Puch AI, during the announcement of this significant partnership.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on March 24, 2026, in Uttar Pradesh, aims to build a comprehensive AI ecosystem in the state. However, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath clarified that the MoU is non-binding and serves as a preliminary agreement, stating, “An MoU by Invest UP is a preliminary step before detailed due diligence and project evaluation gets done.”
Puch AI, a Bengaluru-based startup founded in 2025, has quickly gained traction, with over a million users in India each month, many of whom are experiencing AI for the first time. The company operates primarily through WhatsApp and voice calls, offering free services such as chat assistance and fact-checking.
Despite its rapid growth, Puch AI’s annual revenue was reported at just ₹42.9 lakh as of March 31, 2025, raising questions about its capacity to handle large-scale commitments. Critics have pointed out the startup’s small team and lack of a proven infrastructure track record, which could pose challenges in fulfilling the ambitious goals set forth in the MoU.
While the Uttar Pradesh government is optimistic about the partnership, they have emphasized that any further progress is contingent upon a detailed evaluation of Puch AI’s proposal. “MoUs are non-binding on the State Government. Any further progress… is subject to detailed evaluation of the prospective investor’s proposal,” Adityanath added.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the specific projects that will be pursued under this agreement. As the situation develops, the community watches closely to see how this collaboration will unfold and what it will mean for the future of AI in Uttar Pradesh.
