Nepal to Set Up First Sovereign AI Compute Centre in Syuchatar

Kathmandu — The government has launched a special initiative to usher Nepal into the era of artificial intelligence (AI) with confidence, Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle announced through the budget.

Wagle said the country's first "sovereign AI compute centre" will be established in Syuchatar, Kathmandu. The government will purchase thousands of AI processing units to provide subsidised compute capacity to AI entrepreneurs and startups.

He has proposed converting clean hydroelectric energy into high-value AI compute services. Wagle said he believes that using Nepal's vast existing energy potential for the development of artificial intelligence will lay the foundation for skilled employment, digital exports, and AI-based economic transformation.

In the upcoming fiscal year, the government will offer prestigious fellowships to at least fifteen Nepali researchers who have built an international reputation in the field of AI, inviting them to return to Nepal and contribute.

The Finance Minister also said high priority will be given to academic disciplines such as mathematics, which will play a crucial role in the AI era.