Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran declared India is at a critical “inflection point” with an enormous opportunity to embrace artificial intelligence for transformative national impact. Speaking at the release of NITI Aayog’s “AI for Viksit Bharat” roadmap on Monday, Chandrasekaran urged unprecedented industry-government collaboration to leverage AI for solving India’s most pressing challenges across healthcare, education, and economic inequality.
Massive Economic Opportunity
“We are at an inflection point where we have an enormous opportunity to embrace AI to make a huge impact for our country,” Chandrasekaran emphasized during the landmark event. The NITI Aayog report he helped develop reveals that faster AI adoption could add $500-600 billion to India’s GDP, positioning the country to capture 10-15% of global AI value through its large STEM workforce and expanding R&D ecosystem.
The report projects AI-led productivity could unlock $50-55 billion in financial services and $85-100 billion in manufacturing, providing the growth acceleration needed to achieve the 8% annual GDP growth rate required for India’s transformation into a developed nation by 2035.
Cross-Sector AI Integration
Chandrasekaran stressed that India needs AI to work across every sector—financial services, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare. “We need fully integrated AI solutions to be able to deliver economic growth and prosperity,” he declared, emphasizing that sector-specific deployment alone won’t suffice.
The Tata Chairman called for comprehensive vertical integration of AI solutions that can address fundamental challenges while creating employment and reducing inequality. This holistic approach reflects his belief that AI’s transformative potential can only be realized through systematic implementation across India’s diverse economic landscape.
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Youth Empowerment and Skilling Focus
“We should be able to solve basic issues, be it healthcare, education, using AI and thereby create huge empowerment opportunities and reduce the inequality that exists today,” Chandrasekaran stated. He advocated for using AI specifically for skilling and creating employment opportunities for all youth in the country.
This focus on youth development acknowledges that India’s demographic dividend can be maximized through AI-powered education and training systems that prepare the next generation for an AI-driven economy. The emphasis on reducing inequality demonstrates recognition that AI must benefit all segments of society, not just urban elites.
Industry-Government Partnership Model
Chandrasekaran outlined a collaborative framework requiring government, industry, and society to work together in leveraging AI. “The industry should work closely with the government in policy formulation, take full ownership and demonstrate execution,” he emphasized, calling for shared responsibility in AI deployment.
He specifically urged the government to enable small and medium enterprises to take full advantage of AI to deliver value, jobs, and economic growth. This inclusive approach ensures that AI benefits extend beyond large corporations to India’s vast SME sector that employs millions.
Personal Investment in AI Vision
Chandrasekaran revealed he was “privileged to work as part of the Expert Council” that developed insights and recommendations for the AI roadmap, demonstrating his personal commitment to India’s AI transformation. This hands-on involvement by one of India’s most influential business leaders underscores the strategic importance of AI for the country’s future.
His broader vision for AI extends beyond business applications to fundamental societal transformation, recognizing that artificial intelligence represents both an economic opportunity and a tool for social progress that can address India’s most persistent development challenges
