By Dileep Senapathy
India is rapidly emerging as a global artificial intelligence hub and a future technology superpower. The country is positioning itself to play a leading role in the next phase of the global AI revolution, with artificial intelligence increasingly becoming a new engine of economic growth.
India has already become one of the world’s largest AI talent hubs. Around 60 lakh technology and AI professionals are currently employed across the country. Of the more than 1,800 Global Capability Centres operating in India, over 500 are focused specifically on AI research and development. Nearly 89 percent of India’s startups are using AI to build their solutions, while Nasscom estimates that 87 percent of Indian enterprises have adopted AI in some form.
India’s AI research capabilities are also expanding rapidly. The country is also making major progress in supercomputing infrastructure. India has also indigenously developed several critical technologies, including servers, high-speed interconnects, system software stacks and direct-to-chip liquid cooling systems as part of its push for technological self-reliance.
More than 100 AI-based startups in India have already received official recognition. To help Indian AI startups scale globally, the government has launched the ‘India AI Startup Global Program’ in partnership with Station F and HEC Paris.
According to the World Bank’s South Asia Development Report, India accounts for the highest number of AI-driven job opportunities in South Asia.
Jobs requiring digital skills currently offer salaries that are, on average, 12 percent higher, while AI-focused roles command salary premiums of up to 28 percent. Demand for AI skills is also growing 75 percent faster, underlining the sector’s long-term potential.
Large investments into AI data centres and digital infrastructure are expected to further accelerate India’s technological growth. Analysts estimate that AI could contribute an additional $1.7 trillion to India’s economy by 2035. Artificial intelligence is steadily becoming a key driver of economic growth and industrial transformation.
From industrial automation and faster production to cost reduction, better services and more accurate data analysis, AI is beginning to reshape almost every sector of the economy.
Kerala has now become the first Indian state to establish a cabinet-level department exclusively for artificial intelligence.
The department aims to accelerate the adoption of advanced AI technologies in governance and public services, support AI-driven research and startups, attract investments and technology ventures, and frame policies for safe and responsible AI usage.
Tamil Nadu has also announced a dedicated AI department following Kerala’s move, highlighting the growing importance of AI governance across India.
As artificial intelligence is set to define the next major chapter of global technology, India is increasingly positioning itself at the centre of that transformation.