Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw positioned India as a global leader in AI adoption and development during his address at Davos’ World Economic Forum. In the ‘AI Power Play’ session, he outlined India’s comprehensive progress through the entire AI stack—from applications and models to chips, infrastructure, and even energy requirements.
Shifting focus from hype to practicality, Vaishnaw stressed that true ROI in AI stems from practical deployment, not scale alone. He revealed that models with 20-50 billion parameters suffice for nearly all everyday applications, debunking the need for ever-larger systems.
Showcasing homegrown success, India deploys affordable AI technologies in key industries, enhancing output while controlling costs. This pragmatic model exemplifies sustainable growth in artificial intelligence.
Vaishnaw dismissed skeptical global indices like the IMF’s, referencing Stanford data that ranks India third in AI readiness and second in talent pool worldwide. To bridge access gaps, the government has curated a shared pool of 38,000 GPUs under a subsidized national platform, accessible at a fraction of international rates to academia and innovators.
The initiative pairs with an ambitious skilling drive targeting 10 million citizens, positioning India’s tech ecosystem for leadership in AI services globally. Looking ahead, the minister projected India’s trajectory toward becoming the third-largest economy, propelled by these AI foundations.