Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met with AI major Anthropic to discuss a long-term partnership aimed at accelerating AI adoption across governance, education, healthcare, research, and the state's startup ecosystem. The collaboration focuses on deploying AI solutions responsibly, ensuring data privacy, and developing AI-focused skilling programmes and an AI University.
IT Secretary S Krishnan advocates for India to pursue "strategic autonomy" in the AI ecosystem by building domestic capabilities and diversifying global supply chains. He emphasized avoiding overdependence on single sources while integrating into trusted global networks, and also highlighted the need to consider an AI law and regulatory framework.
The artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem is opaque and needs to be made transparent and accountable, said Competition Commission of India's (CCI) Chairperson Ravneet Kaur at the Business Standard Manthan Summit on Wednesday.
A report by policy think tank The Dialogue reveals that India's artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem is primarily constrained by a shortage of skilled talent and a lack of data standardisation, rather than market concentration. The study, which surveyed 308 stakeholders, found that talent availability and data usability are major concerns, with a significant reliance on open-source AI models.
HCLTech, India's third-largest IT services company, announced plans to establish a global technology centre and an AI-optimised data centre in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, with a total investment of approximately Rs 15,000 crore, marking its entry into the AI infrastructure business.
OpenAI has appointed Prabhjeet Singh as its Managing Director for India, a key market for the AI company. Singh, formerly President of Uber India and South Asia, will oversee consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, and regulatory engagement, reinforcing OpenAI's commitment to India's rapidly expanding AI ecosystem.
A delegation of Indian startup founders and leaders visited the UK to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence and technology, aiming to strengthen the India-UK innovation corridor.
Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured a mega order, valued between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 crore, to construct India's largest single-cluster artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure facility. This strategic move marks L&T's entry into the AI Factory business, aiming to establish an NVIDIA B300-based AI Factory in Chennai to power the AI-native cloud platform of US-based Together AI, thereby strengthening India's AI ecosystem and supporting global innovation.
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has completed a decade since its launch, becoming the backbone of India's digital payments ecosystem. It has seen exponential growth in transaction volume and value, expanding financial inclusion and setting a global benchmark for real-time payments.
The Indian Golf Union (IGU) has partnered with Golf New Zealand to enhance India's golf development and high-performance ecosystem. Gregg Thorpe, General Manager of High-Performance & Talent Development at Golf New Zealand, visited India to assess facilities and interact with stakeholders, aiming to build a strategy for future success, including potential Olympic hosting in 2036.
Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has urged state universities to establish a robust sports-friendly ecosystem to identify and develop exceptional sports persons capable of representing India. He highlighted the importance of sports in national development and student skill-building, advocating for greater participation from rural and tribal youth.
India's burgeoning franchise volleyball ecosystem, particularly with dedicated Under-21 tournaments like the Guardians Trophy, is creating a structured pathway for young players. This initiative aims to develop talent from the grassroots to professional levels, fostering cultural adaptation and skill enhancement, with the ultimate goal of strengthening the senior national team and achieving Olympic qualification.
The biggest challenge to widespread deployment is no longer AI. It is the financial and commerce infrastructure that was built decades ago for deterministic software and human interactions -- not autonomous AI agents.
Adani Group Director Jeet Adani and Bharti Enterprises Vice Chairman Rakesh Bharti Mittal highlighted the importance of infrastructure, energy, and connectivity in shaping India's AI ecosystem, emphasising Visakhapatnam's potential as a major digital gateway.
Dr Lovi Raj Gupta, pro vice-chancellor, Lovely Professional University, explains how aspiring professionals can equip themselves for a competitive AI-driven job market.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stated that the Supreme Court views technology as an aid to human reasoning, not a replacement, and emphasised developing "Swadeshi Jurisprudence" tailored to India's unique conditions. He highlighted efforts to create an indigenous AI ecosystem for the judiciary and stressed that AI cannot substitute human judgment, empathy, or ethical discernment.
Azim Premji's private investment firm, Premji Invest, has quietly built a formidable portfolio of 11 AI startups, primarily in the US, with a combined valuation of $43 billion. The firm has participated in 19 funding rounds since 2021, with a notable focus on US-based companies, many of which were founded by Indian entrepreneurs.
A PwC India report highlights that the competitiveness of India's industrial manufacturing sector hinges on the seamless integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into business strategies and operations. The report indicates that a significant majority of Indian manufacturers view AI as crucial for achieving strategic goals and are accelerating automation across various functions to build intelligent enterprises and gain sustainable competitive advantage.
Sarvam AI, an Indian full-stack sovereign artificial intelligence company, has achieved unicorn status after raising $234 million in a Series B funding round led by HCLTech and Bessemer Venture Partners, with HCLTech acquiring a 10.46 per cent stake.
AI is no longer a tool only for software engineers and technology teams.
A joint report by Deloitte India and FICCI projects India's consumer economy to reach USD 1.9 trillion by 2030. This growth will be fuelled by rapid AI adoption, evolving consumer preferences, and new commerce models like e-commerce and quick commerce. India leads in AI adoption among top countries, with businesses leveraging it for engagement, innovation, and forecasting. The report also highlights the emergence of a new Indian consumer seeking convenience and transparency, and identifies key trends shaping FMCG, retail, and e-commerce sectors.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is set to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of the small and medium enterprise (SME) listing framework and tighten accountability around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in financial markets, Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey announced.
The aim is to win over the country's enterprises, developers and startups as AI systems shift from answering questions to autonomously executing tasks.
Global technology giant Google has announced the selection of 20 Indian AI startups for its 2026 Google for Startups Accelerator programme, marking the 10th anniversary of its accelerator initiatives.
Indigenous smartphone brand Ai+ has announced a Rs 100 crore bug bounty program over five years, inviting independent researchers to identify and address security vulnerabilities. This initiative, named Project Trust+, aims to foster a collaborative environment with the tech community to enhance the safety and resilience of Ai+ products, reflecting the company's commitment to transparent and collaborative security development.
TCS, India's largest IT firm, is aiming to become the world's leading AI-led technology services company. CEO K Krithivasan highlights the company's strategy, including upskilling its workforce and executing nation-scale projects in India.
Global semiconductor giant AMD projects the overall market for compute infrastructure, driven by artificial intelligence, to reach USD 2 trillion by 2030 from USD 365 billion in 2025. The company unveiled new products and its Helios AI infrastructure, emphasising an open ecosystem and significant performance gains over competitors, with India playing a key role in its global rollout.
Global semiconductor giant AMD projects the overall market for compute infrastructure, driven by artificial intelligence, to reach USD 2 trillion by 2030 from USD 365 billion in 2025. The company unveiled new products and its Helios AI infrastructure, emphasising an open ecosystem and significant performance gains over competitors, with India playing a key role in its global rollout.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced the establishment of India's first government-driven Artificial Intelligence University and an AI Hub in Bengaluru. This initiative aims to position Karnataka as a global leader in responsible AI innovation, fostering talent, research, and collaboration. The state seeks to become an AI-native state, leveraging AI to improve governance and daily life across various sectors.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini met with a World Bank delegation to discuss advancing Artificial Intelligence, digital governance, and skill development in the state. The discussions focused on leveraging technology to enhance citizen services, with plans to showcase Haryana's AI Sandbox globally and develop a dedicated AI model for the state.
The IndiaAI Mission, under MeitY, has selected 10 Indian AI startups for its Global Acceleration Programme, aimed at fostering international growth and innovation.
A new study by The Energy & Climate Initiative Society (ENCIS) predicts that AI adoption in India's power generation sector will surge from 35% to 65% by 2030, becoming a core operational capability. The study highlights that nearly seven out of ten professionals see power generation as offering the best opportunity for efficiency gains through AI, driven by India's expanding digital infrastructure and significant investments from energy giants. Predictive asset management and proactive maintenance are identified as key areas for AI application, with efficiency being the primary driver for AI investments.
The Education Ministry will focus on training teachers in the use of Artificial Intelligence tools over the next three to four months to support classroom teaching, lesson planning and student assessment, a senior official said.
Econz IT Services, in partnership with Google Cloud, has launched Bengaluru's first Gemini Enterprise Experience Centre. This centre provides an immersive environment for businesses to develop and deploy advanced Agentic AI solutions, marking a significant step in enterprise AI innovation in the region.
Dr Dinesh Amalnerkar, president of the Maharashtra Academy of Sciences, has emphasised the need for Maharashtra to strengthen its semiconductor research and manufacturing ecosystem to compete with states like Gujarat and Telangana.
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced the state's vision to become a national hub for artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, coinciding with the launch of Naviq Technology by IBS Software Group. The state government is implementing initiatives like an AI-powered dashboard, a Global Job Watch Tower, and curriculum revisions to align with technological advancements and foster skill development in AI and semiconductor sectors.
A senior US official has warned against the weaponisation of digital and artificial intelligence sovereignty by political voices, urging nations to avoid costly re-invention of existing technology. The official highlighted the economic dangers of rebuilding entire tech stacks and emphasised India's crucial role as an indispensable partner in global technological leadership due to its engineering talent and innovation ecosystem.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw chaired a meeting focusing on Artificial Intelligence, emerging technologies, and electronics hardware manufacturing, highlighting India's progress and future roadmap in these sectors.
Chennai-based SKASports Investments Private Ltd has signed an agreement with a Singapore club to develop a regional sports ecosystem that would tap the large pool of footballers and coaches from India.
Researchers at IIT Madras have discovered that rare 'specialist' marine microorganisms play a crucial and previously underestimated role in maintaining the stability of ocean ecosystems. Their global analysis of bacterial communities, published in 'mSystems', reveals these microbes act as vital connectors within microbial networks, significantly impacting ecosystem resilience and informing conservation efforts.
