India Sets Sights on AI Superpower Status: Scindia

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 5th Oct: Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia on Sunday underscored India’s leadership in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and indigenous telecom during his address at the Fourth Kautilya Economic Conclave in New Delhi.

Speaking on the theme “Communications: Emerging Technologies,” Scindia said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has turned global turbulence into opportunity with foresight and resilience. He described India as “the voice of fairness and equity, a bridge between fractured geopolitical blocs, and a direction for the world.”

Semiconductor Mission: ₹76,000 Crore Push
Recalling the pandemic’s lesson on dependence on microchips, Scindia highlighted India’s ₹76,000 crore Semiconductor Mission, which has attracted investments worth over ₹1.6 lakh crore and aims to skill 85,000 youth. He called it a cornerstone of India’s self-reliant and future-ready economy.

Economic Strength and Global Leadership
Despite global challenges, India posted 7.8% GDP growth in the first quarter of FY 2025–26, Scindia noted. He said India has emerged as a fulcrum for the Global South and a global partner for prosperity in turbulent times.

Telecom and Digital Infrastructure
With 1.22 billion phone subscribers and 944 million broadband users, India has seen fifteen-fold growth in communications in the past decade. Scindia said India achieved the world’s fastest 5G rollout, reaching 99.8% of districts in just 22 months. Digital infrastructure such as UPI now processes 260 billion annual transactions, making up 46% of global digital payments.

BSNL and Indigenous 4G Stack
Scindia hailed the rollout of BSNL’s fully indigenous 4G stack—developed with C-DOT, Tejas Networks, and TCS—as a symbol of Atmanirbhar Bharat. With 92,564 towers installed nationwide, BSNL has returned to profitability after 17 years, expanding its subscriber base from 78 lakh to 2.2 crore in just one year.

Artificial Intelligence Mission
Calling AI the next frontier of communications, Scindia said India is building indigenous AI infrastructure through the IndiaAI Mission, with private players investing over ₹20,000 crore in GPUs. Total AI ecosystem investments are projected to exceed $10 billion. He stressed AI must be rooted in Indian languages and priorities, citing the Bhashini app as an example of real-time empowerment. “India will be among the world’s top five AI nations,” he declared.

India’s Global March
Highlighting India’s achievements in fintech, telecom, renewable energy, and startups, Scindia said the country is poised to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2027. He credited India’s rise to a blend of Swadeshi innovation, Atmanirbhar capabilities, and the guiding principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.