Bengaluru-based AI startup Sarvam AI has unveiled a new vertical called Chanakya, as it looks to build AI systems for enterprises and more strategic, high-stakes use cases. The announcement came through a series of posts on X on March 29.
What makes this initiative stand out is its focus on environments where internet access isn’t available and where systems simply can’t afford to fail. Sarvam says it has been quietly working on these kinds of challenges over the past year, using its full-stack AI capabilities to solve complex, real-world problems. With Chanakya, the company is now taking that work to the next level.
The new vertical will handle on-premise deployments, including air-gapped setups typically used in sensitive operations. It will also focus on processing different types of data and building agent-based workflows that can run reliably in production environments.
Instead of positioning Chanakya as a regular services arm, the company describes it more like a focused innovation unit—something closer to a “skunkworks” effort—designed for mission-critical applications.
Sarvam also pointed out that the systems developed under this initiative are expected to serve both enterprise needs and strategic sectors, giving them a dual-use role.
At the same time, the startup is ramping up hiring across engineering, product, data science, and delivery teams. It’s especially looking for people with hands-on experience in deploying large language models on-premise and working in high-reliability setups.
On the funding front, Sarvam AI is reportedly in advanced talks to raise between $200 million and $250 million, with a target valuation of around $1.5 billion.
The round is likely to see participation from major players like NVIDIA, Accel, and HCLTech—a sign that interest in India’s growing AI ecosystem continues to pick up pace.
Also Read: Sarvam Launches Arya to Make Claude-Built AI Agents Production-Ready
