diff --git a/cpp/open3d/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/open3d/CMakeLists.txt
index 00b04684b2c..f8ff798ed7e 100644
--- a/cpp/open3d/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/open3d/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ configure_file("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cpp/open3d/Open3DConfig.h.in"
 
 add_library(Open3D)
 
+if (BUILD_PYTORCH_OPS)
+    target_compile_definitions(Open3D PUBLIC OPEN3D_BUILD_PYTORCH_OPS=1)
+else()
+    target_compile_definitions(Open3D PUBLIC OPEN3D_BUILD_PYTORCH_OPS=0)
+endif()
+
 add_subdirectory(camera)
 add_subdirectory(core)
 add_subdirectory(data)
diff --git a/cpp/open3d/ml/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/open3d/ml/CMakeLists.txt
index 35f0b65112a..9836a88334c 100644
--- a/cpp/open3d/ml/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/open3d/ml/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,4 +11,8 @@ if (BUILD_PYTORCH_OPS)
     add_subdirectory(pytorch)
 endif()
 
+target_sources(Open3D PRIVATE
+    Model.cpp
+)
+
 add_subdirectory(contrib)
diff --git a/cpp/open3d/ml/Model.cpp b/cpp/open3d/ml/Model.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7904fe64883
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpp/open3d/ml/Model.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// -                        Open3D: www.open3d.org                            -
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Copyright (c) 2018-2024 www.open3d.org
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#include "open3d/ml/Model.h"
+
+#include "open3d/utility/Logging.h"
+
+namespace open3d {
+namespace ml {
+
+struct Model::Impl {
+    std::string artifact_path_;
+    bool loaded_ = false;
+};
+
+Model::Model() : impl_(std::make_unique<Impl>()) {}
+
+Model::~Model() = default;
+
+void Model::LoadModel(const std::string& artifact_path) {
+    // TODO: Implement dlopen of libtorch and AOTInductor runner loading.
+    // For now, just store the path and mark as loaded for testing purposes.
+    impl_->artifact_path_ = artifact_path;
+    impl_->loaded_ = true;
+    utility::LogInfo("Model::LoadModel called with path: {}", artifact_path);
+}
+
+std::vector<core::Tensor> Model::Forward(
+        const std::vector<core::Tensor>& inputs) const {
+    if (!impl_->loaded_) {
+        utility::LogError("Model not loaded. Call LoadModel() first.");
+    }
+    // TODO: Implement actual inference using AOTInductor runner.
+    // For now, return empty vector as placeholder.
+    utility::LogInfo("Model::Forward called with {} input tensors",
+                     inputs.size());
+    return {};
+}
+
+bool IsPyTorchRuntimeEnabled() {
+#if OPEN3D_BUILD_PYTORCH_OPS
+    return true;
+#else
+    return false;
+#endif
+}
+
+}  // namespace ml
+}  // namespace open3d
diff --git a/cpp/open3d/ml/Model.h b/cpp/open3d/ml/Model.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..209e4ef9bae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpp/open3d/ml/Model.h
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// -                        Open3D: www.open3d.org                            -
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Copyright (c) 2018-2024 www.open3d.org
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#pragma once
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+
+#include "open3d/core/Tensor.h"
+
+namespace open3d {
+namespace ml {
+
+/// \brief Minimal holder for lazily loaded torch models compiled through
+/// AOTInductor. The class is intentionally lightweight so the API can stabilize
+/// before the heavy runtime integration lands.
+class Model {
+public:
+    Model();
+    ~Model();
+
+    /// Loads a compiled model artifact from disk. The concrete format is
+    /// expected to match the PyTorch AOTInductor runner output.
+    void LoadModel(const std::string& artifact_path);
+
+    /// Runs inference on the loaded model. Inputs are Open3D tensors so we can
+    /// take advantage of the existing DLPack bridges.
+    std::vector<core::Tensor> Forward(
+            const std::vector<core::Tensor>& inputs) const;
+
+private:
+    struct Impl;
+    std::unique_ptr<Impl> impl_;
+};
+
+/// Returns true when Open3D was configured with BUILD_PYTORCH_OPS.
+bool IsPyTorchRuntimeEnabled();
+
+}  // namespace ml
+}  // namespace open3d
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cpp/tests/ml/CMakeLists.txt b/cpp/tests/ml/CMakeLists.txt
index 6eac847ea9a..8bf129d5a4c 100644
--- a/cpp/tests/ml/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cpp/tests/ml/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 target_sources(tests PRIVATE
+    Model.cpp
     ShapeChecking.cpp
 )
diff --git a/cpp/tests/ml/Model.cpp b/cpp/tests/ml/Model.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a5f7a5bdb5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpp/tests/ml/Model.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// -                        Open3D: www.open3d.org                            -
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Copyright (c) 2018-2024 www.open3d.org
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#include "open3d/ml/Model.h"
+
+#include "open3d/core/Tensor.h"
+#include "tests/Tests.h"
+
+namespace open3d {
+namespace tests {
+
+TEST(Model, Constructor) {
+    ml::Model model;
+    // Should construct without throwing
+}
+
+TEST(Model, IsPyTorchRuntimeEnabled) {
+    bool enabled = ml::IsPyTorchRuntimeEnabled();
+#if OPEN3D_BUILD_PYTORCH_OPS
+    EXPECT_TRUE(enabled);
+#else
+    EXPECT_FALSE(enabled);
+#endif
+}
+
+TEST(Model, ForwardWithoutLoad) {
+    ml::Model model;
+    std::vector<core::Tensor> inputs;
+    // Forward without LoadModel should throw/log error
+    EXPECT_ANY_THROW(model.Forward(inputs));
+}
+
+TEST(Model, LoadModelAndForward) {
+    ml::Model model;
+    // LoadModel with dummy path (stub implementation just stores path)
+    EXPECT_NO_THROW(model.LoadModel("/tmp/dummy_model.pt"));
+    // Forward with empty inputs (stub returns empty vector)
+    std::vector<core::Tensor> inputs;
+    auto outputs = model.Forward(inputs);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(outputs.empty());  // Stub returns empty
+}
+
+TEST(Model, ForwardWithInputTensors) {
+    ml::Model model;
+    model.LoadModel("/tmp/dummy_model.pt");
+    // Create test input tensors
+    std::vector<core::Tensor> inputs;
+    inputs.push_back(core::Tensor::Ones({2, 3}, core::Float32));
+    inputs.push_back(core::Tensor::Zeros({4, 5}, core::Float32));
+    // Stub should accept inputs without crashing
+    auto outputs = model.Forward(inputs);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(outputs.empty());  // Stub returns empty
+}
+
+}  // namespace tests
+}  // namespace open3d