IIT Delhi Yardi School Signs ₹9 Crore Walmart AI Pact

IIT Delhi’s Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence (ScAI) and Walmart Global Tech signed a four-year partnership on 6 November 2026 in New Delhi, valued at approximately ₹9 crore, to advance research, education and talent development in artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science. About ₹2.3 crore is earmarked for the current financial year.

The collaboration is being undertaken with WM Global Technology Services India Private Limited (Walmart Global Tech), according to an official IIT Delhi announcement and reporting by Careers360. It builds on a wider IIT Delhi push into AI teaching and applied research, from a six-month cybersecurity and AI security course to executive programmes such as the CEP certificate in Agentic AI Systems.

What the IIT Delhi Walmart AI partnership covers

Under the initiative, the Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence will deepen research in AI, machine learning and data science with a focus on applications that matter to industry and society. Student researchers will be supported through dedicated fellowships. Faculty development and teacher-training programmes will take AI education beyond the Hauz Khas campus, while the school strengthens research infrastructure and its pipeline of skilled AI professionals.

Learning pathways will also open for industry professionals and learners from underrepresented communities — extending the school’s reach beyond degree students. Established in 2020 and headed by Prof. Chetan Arora, ScAI brings together faculty across disciplines for AI applications in healthcare, robotics, materials science, Industry 4.0, climate and transportation.

Industry voices on building India’s AI talent pipeline

Prof. Jayant Jain, Dean, Corporate Relations, IIT Delhi, said partnerships with industry strengthen the ecosystem for advanced research, innovation and technology-based entrepreneurship, and that the institute looks forward to lasting impact with Walmart Global Tech.

Balu Chaturvedula, SVP and Country Head, Walmart Global Tech, said India has the talent and ambition to shape the AI era, and that the partnership is rooted in building depth in research, engineering and education — supporting researchers, expanding student pathways and strengthening educators who multiply that capability over time.

Prof. Chetan Arora, Head, Yardi School of AI, called the collaboration a shared commitment to world-class AI research and talent, saying Walmart Global’s support will help build research infrastructure and nurture researchers from foundational work to applications that solve real societal problems.

Why it matters for AI education in India

Over four years, IIT Delhi will lead implementation with regular reviews of progress and outcomes. Fellowships, faculty development and teacher training are expected to feed a lasting pipeline of AI researchers and educators into classrooms, labs and industry — a model that sits alongside campus hands-on efforts such as the Arduino edge AI Invention Lab at IIT Delhi and state-level moves to broaden AI education in schools.

For digitalLEARNING readers, the deal is a concrete industry–academia signal: multi-year funding tied to fellowships, educator capacity and infrastructure — not a one-off workshop — alongside access drives such as IIT Madras free Hindi AI courses on SWAYAM Plus.

Key takeaways

• IIT Delhi’s Yardi School of AI and Walmart Global Tech signed a four-year partnership announced on 6 November 2026.
• The pact is valued at about ₹9 crore, with roughly ₹2.3 crore for the current financial year.
• Focus areas: AI/ML/data science research, student fellowships, faculty development and teacher training beyond campus, research infrastructure, and learning for industry professionals and underrepresented communities.
• ScAI was established in 2020 and is headed by Prof. Chetan Arora; quotes also came from Prof. Jayant Jain and Balu Chaturvedula.

FAQ

How much is the IIT Delhi–Walmart Global Tech partnership worth?

Approximately ₹9 crore over four years, with about ₹2.3 crore earmarked for the current financial year.

What will the Yardi School of AI use the partnership for?

Research in AI, machine learning and data science; student researcher fellowships; faculty development and teacher training beyond campus; research infrastructure; and learning opportunities for industry professionals and underrepresented communities.

Who leads the Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence?

Prof. Chetan Arora heads ScAI at IIT Delhi. The school was established in 2020.

Featured image: Wide view of the IIT Delhi campus, New Delhi. Photo: Mahi zahidi / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).