India's AI moment: From startup surge to global governance vision

India's accelerating digital transformation, combined with growing global scrutiny on artificial intelligence (AI) governance, was at the heart of discussions at the Carnegie Global Tech Summit 2025 in New Delhi this week.

- TDG NETWORK

The event brought together global policymakers, tech leaders, and diplomats to explore the possibilities and responsibilities of AI-driven futures under the theme Sambhavna (Possibility).

Among the headline speakers was Nandan Nilekani, Chairman and Co-founder of Infosys, who both championed India's readiness for rapid AI adoption and cautioned against the euphoria surrounding it.

Despite the caution, Nilekani was bullish on India's prospects.

The past 15 years of building robust digital public infrastructure—Aadhaar, UPI, and platforms like DigiLocker—have laid a solid foundation for India to leapfrog into the AI era.

THE SHORTER GAP BETWEEN INDIA AND THE WORLD

Nilekani noted that unlike previous technology revolutions, India won't lag for decades this time.

"The gap between global developments and AI adoption in India is going to be very short," he said, crediting the country's rapid technological maturity and its growing ecosystem of digital users and startups.

From just 2,000 startups in 2015, India now boasts over 150,000 startups, with projections to reach one million by 2035.

"They will solve problems in climate, energy, space," Nilekani said, describing a "virtuous cycle" of innovation that is beginning to self-perpetuate through success stories, IPOs, and reinvestment.

"India's space story is a fabulous public narrative," he added, hinting at the increasing role of private innovation in areas once reserved for the state.