The Tech Footprint: India's AI Leap Will Reap Benefits Only In The Case Of A Multi-Pronged Approach

Even as India’s AI adoption rate is among the highest in the world, it is also characterised by low awareness.

The question, therefore, is this: Is the Central government ready with a well-polished policy approach that would change the rules of the job market and make it more efficient? After India’s success not only in setting up digital public infrastructure but also in taking the lead globally, New Delhi will have to chalk out a multi-pronged approach for the National AI Talent Mission to pave the way forward in forging the future.

Recently, at an event jointly organised by The Secretariat and SPIPA, Rajiv Gauba, former Cabinet Secretary, Government of India, and Member, NITI Aayog, had pointed out, “We need to create employment opportunities; or else, the demographic dividend would turn into a liability."

AI-Based Module

Experts and industry players agree that an AI-based module is the need of the hour, especially in a country like India with such vastness and multiplicity.

The industry believes that if the mission is implemented successfully, AI education and training could turn its demographic advantage into a new kind of AI dividend. This could position India as a hub for AI development, just like it led the world on the software development and IT services front. Ultimately, the mission would empower Indian citizens to thrive in an AI-driven world.

India has about 1.2 billion mobile phone subscribers. An official release said that in rural areas, more than 92 per cent of people between the age group of 15 and 29 years have used the internet – something that has already given them an idea about AI.  

A Transformative Step

 "We see the National AI Talent Mission as a transformative step in shaping India’s AI-driven future. We’re building an ecosystem where AI enhances how teachers teach, how students learn, and how parents stay engaged – proving that technology can humanise education," said Reshu Yadav, co-founder - Academiq.io.

"This national initiative will accelerate that vision by equipping India’s youth with the AI skills needed to innovate, not just adapt. When education and AI evolve together, we don’t just create a skilled workforce – we build a future-ready nation capable of driving global innovation and economic growth," Yadav added.

Why India Needs It 

With over 60 per cent of India's population under 35 years, integrating AI into the employability opportunities will be critical for the growth of India's economy. The Central government feels that India cannot afford to lag as other nations accelerate in the global AI race. The proposal, envisaged under the Viksit Bharat Mission, aims to shape India’s AI-driven future.

AI is reshaping the world economy, and countries such as the US, China, and several European nations are investing massively in AI research and model development. To effectively engage with these nations, India needs to develop its technical expertise and research capabilities.

AI Education, Training – The AI Dividend

The industry believes that if the mission is implemented successfully, AI education and training could turn its demographic advantage into a new kind of AI dividend. This could position India as a hub for AI development, just like it led the world on the software development and IT services front. Ultimately, the mission would empower Indian citizens to thrive in an AI-driven world.

"Artificial Intelligence is not the future; it is the language of the present. The National AI Talent Mission can become India’s renaissance moment if we treat it not as a tech initiative but as an education movement. The true potential of AI lies not in algorithms, but in awakening young minds to think, question, and create," said Digraj Singh Rajput, educationist and co-founder of Next Topper.

"India’s youth must be trained to lead this transformation, with compassion in code and purpose in innovation. If we can align AI with Indian intelligence and intent, we won’t just build a workforce, we’ll build the wisdom force of the world," Rajput added.

Present Scenario

India’s technology sector is expanding rapidly, with annual revenues projected to cross US$280 billion this year.

• Over 6 million people are employed in the tech and AI ecosystem.
• The country hosts 1,800+ Global Capability Centres, including more than 500 focused on AI.
• India has around 1.8 lakh startups, and nearly 89 per cent of new startups launched last year used AI in their products or services.
• On the NASSCOM AI Adoption Index, India scores 2.45 out of 4, showing that 87 per cent of enterprises are actively using AI solutions.

Key Takeaways

• ₹10,300 crore allocated over five years for IndiaAI Mission with 38,000 GPUs deployed.
• 6 million people are employed in the tech and AI ecosystem.
• The tech sector is projected to cross US$280 billion in revenue this year.
• AI could add US$1.7 trillion to India’s economy by 2035.
  
  

The Proposal

India's top policy body, NITI Aayog, had last month recommended the launch of a National AI Talent Mission, pushing for a nationally coordinated effort to transform the nation into the AI workforce capital of the world. 

Sources said that various Ministries, including the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Education, and Skill Development, are currently coordinating for the evolution of the programme, which is likely to be launched by the government in the next few months.

Through the mission, the government wants a trained workforce to understand and shape AI. Sources said that the proposed National AI Talent Mission aims to:

• Make AI knowledge accessible to everyone
• Introduce AI literacy in schools and colleges
• Upskill existing workers for AI-linked careers
• Encourage collaboration between academia and industry

As part of the mission, the government wants to ensure that all school students,  government employees, and others are adept in AI. The Centre plans to establish Centres of Excellence in research on the subject, AI labs across universities, and promote industry–academia partnerships.

Although India produces over a million engineering graduates each year, only a very few are equipped for AI research and advanced studies. The National AI Talent Mission aims to bridge this divide by modernising university curricula and providing students with the opportunity for practical training through industry projects.