Originally published on AI Tech Connect.
What the numbers say The headline. Indian AI startups raised $676 million in the first six months of 2026, per Inc42, the outlet that reported and maintains this dataset. The year-on-year move. H1 2025 was $162 million across, in Inc42's phrasing, a mere 30 deals. So funding rose more than fourfold. The deal count. 57 deals in H1 2026 — a 90 per cent increase year on year, and a six-month high. The sequential move. Up about 35 per cent on the more-than-$500 million raised in the preceding half. This is not a single-quarter spike; it is a second consecutive strong half. The historical context. Indian AI startups had raised only about $1.8 billion cumulatively up to 2025. H1 2026 alone attracted nearly a third of that entire cumulative total. The two big cheques. Sarvam raised $234 million…
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