The Indian AI Research Organisation (IAIRO), an institution positioned at the centre of India’s sovereign artificial intelligence ambitions, has appointed veteran technologist Vishal Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director of AvenuesAI Limited, as Technical Advisor, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s push to build globally competitive AI capabilities.

Announcing the appointment on LinkedIn, IAIRO said Mehta brings “decades of experience in building and scaling technology and digital infrastructure businesses in India,” adding that his expertise across entrepreneurship, technology platforms and AI-led innovation would contribute significantly to the organisation’s research and ecosystem initiatives.”

Mehta is widely known for building digital platforms such as CCAvenue, Rediff and Phronetic.AI. Under his leadership, AvenuesAI Limited has evolved into one of India’s large fintech and software ecosystems, processing billions of transactions annually across millions of merchants.

IAIRO’s founding ecosystem includes AI researchers, technologists returning from leading US universities, and former executives from companies such as Apple, Google and IBM. The organisation focuses on frontier research, talent development, enterprise AI systems and national-scale deployment across sectors including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, education, sustainability and urban systems.

Confirming the development, Vishal Mehta said, “What excites me about IAIRO is that it is not merely creating AI products — it is building an institution for India’s future.”

He added that the next phase of global AI leadership would belong to countries and institutions capable of building ecosystems around talent, infrastructure, research, deployment and trust.

Mehta joins an advisory group that includes Ajai Chowdhry, Padma Bhushan awardee and co-founder of HCL, and Sharad Sharma of iSPIRT Foundation and Product Nation, underscoring IAIRO’s growing stature within India’s technology ecosystem.

Headquartered in GIFT City, Gujarat, IAIRO operates as an autonomous Section 8 entity aligned with India’s national AI mission. Its public-private partnership model is backed by IndiaAI Mission under MeitY, Gujarat DST and the Indian Pharma Association.

As global competition in artificial intelligence intensifies, IAIRO aims to position India not only as a participant, but also as a creator of foundational AI systems and innovation frameworks.