India’s AI ambitions received a massive boost as leading tech firms from Microsoft and Nvidia to OpenAI declared hefty investments during a pivotal summit in New Delhi. These pledges, totaling hundreds of billions, aim to supercharge AI infrastructure and innovation across the country.
The timing is critical in the worldwide AI arms race. Major hyperscalers—Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Alphabet—are set to deploy around $700 billion in AI-related capex this year, highlighting the sector’s explosive growth.
Domestic powerhouses stepped up prominently. Reliance Industries is plotting $110 billion for expansive data center networks. Adani Group announced $100 billion for AI-powered data centers spanning the next decade.
Key US announcements included Microsoft’s $50 billion commitment to Global South AI projects by 2030. Partnerships flourished as OpenAI and AMD joined forces with Tata Group, while Blackstone infused $600 million into Nyasa’s equity round.
The summit spotlighted India’s tech ascent, backed by $18 billion in greenlit semiconductor initiatives for supply chain resilience. US-India commerce discussions progressed, focusing on tariff cuts and collaboration, sealed by the ‘Pax Silica’ accord—a Trump-era effort to protect silicon supply lines.
Attendees included elite AI minds: OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, and DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis. Nvidia expanded its VC collaborations in India to nurture startups.
This confluence of capital and expertise cements India’s role as an AI vanguard, promising job creation, technological breakthroughs, and strengthened international alliances.