India is not just racing toward digital transformation—it’s poised to become the world’s data capital, according to a landmark report by NITI Aayog titled AI for Viksit Bharat: The Opportunity for Accelerated Economic Growth. With its vast population, rich linguistic diversity, and cultural depth, India has the raw ingredients to set global benchmarks in trusted, interoperable data ecosystems.
The 8% Growth Imperative
To realize the ambitious #ViksitBharat vision by 2047, India must accelerate its annual GDP growth to 8%. NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam emphasized that this leap is only possible through a massive productivity surge, powered by AI adoption across sectors. The report estimates that AI could contribute an additional $500–600 billion to India’s GDP by 2035, beyond its current trajectory. This boost would come from:
- Enhanced operational efficiency
- Smarter resource allocation
- Redeployment of human effort to higher-value tasks
India as the World’s Data Capital
India’s unique advantage lies in its ability to build trusted, anonymized, and certified data marketplaces. By placing quality and reliability at the center of its data strategy, India can lead globally in:
- Breadth and depth of data
- Ethical and secure data governance
- Scalable AI model development
The Talent Challenge
To seize this opportunity, India must:
- Narrow the AI skill gap with leading nations by 2035
- Develop a digitally skilled workforce
- Reskill workers displaced by automation
- Invest in advanced research and globally competitive AI models
Policy, Innovation & Global Value Chains
The report calls for:
- Alignment of industrial and trade policies
- Deeper domestic demand stimulation
- Stronger participation in global value chains
- Responsible governance of AI technologies
The Road Ahead
India’s AI journey is not just about tech—it’s about economic transformation, job creation, and global leadership. As rulebooks for AI evolve worldwide, India must balance innovation with inclusion, productivity with purpose.
“The path to 8% growth runs through decisive AI adoption and innovation,” the report declares.