India’s AI ambition gets a boost: Microsoft pledges ₹1.5 lakh crore investment

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) - Microsoft Corporation will invest $17.5 billion or Rs 1.5 lakh crore to help build Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure, skills and sovereign capabilities in India.

In this regard, Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corporation, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Satya Nadella wrote on the social media platform X that to support the country's ambitions, Microsoft is investing $17.5 billion, our largest investment ever in Asia, to help build the infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities needed for India's AI-driven future.

The US tech giant previously announced in January a $3 billion investment in cloud and AI infrastructure in India over the next two years. Microsoft said it would boost the country's long-term competitiveness by training 10 million people in AI skills over the next five years.

The technology giant's plans focus on expanding cloud and computing infrastructure, expanding AI skills initiatives, and supporting secure, sovereign data systems across all sectors. In 2024, the company launched the "Advanta(i)ge India" initiative to train people in AI skills.

It's worth noting that major tech companies have pledged significant investments in India, one of the fastest-growing markets for AI products. Amazon expects its $12.7 billion investment in building local cloud and AI infrastructure will benefit 15 million small businesses in India by 2030. Amit Agarwal, Amazon's senior vice president of emerging markets, said on the social platform X that the company aims to train 4 million government school students over the next five years.