Microsoft is making a massive $17.5 billion investment in India’s cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure, its largest-ever investment in Asia. The four-year plan is a huge vote of confidence in India’s growing tech ambitions.
The announcement came after a meeting between Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where the two discussed India’s goal of becoming a major player in the AI world. In a social media post, Nadella said the investment will “help build the infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities needed for India’s AI-first future.”
The move comes as India is aggressively trying to catch up in the global AI race. The country has recently attracted major investments in data centers from Google and Amazon. Prime Minister Modi welcomed the news, saying, “The youth of India will harness this opportunity to innovate and leverage the power of AI for a better planet.” Microsoft plans to use the money to significantly scale up its existing cloud and AI infrastructure in India. The company also announced it is doubling its commitment to train 20 million Indians in AI skills by 2030.
While India is still playing catch-up in advanced technologies like chips and AI, its massive consumer market and government support are making it a hot spot for major tech companies. This huge new investment from Microsoft is the latest and most powerful sign that the world’s biggest tech players see India as a critical part of their future.
