India AI strength applications data centres

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in an interview with Morgan Stanley India Equity Strategist Ridham Desai, outlined India's strengths in artificial intelligence, emphasizing the applications layer as the country's primary advantage. He noted that 80% of new startups are AI-based, and highlighted progress in data centres, electronics manufacturing, and semiconductor design, with India accounting for 20% of the global semiconductor design workforce. Vaishnaw also cited India's renewable energy capacity (250 GW) as supporting data centre growth, and noted 90% 5G coverage, making India the world's second-largest 5G ecosystem. He linked infrastructure improvements to manufacturing competitiveness, citing railway freight volumes rising from 1,000 to 1,670 million tonnes over a decade. The statements reflect India's broader growth strategy focusing on physical, digital, and social infrastructure, inclusive growth, innovation, and manufacturing.