From AI to data centres, India emerges as global digital power in 12 years
New Delhi, June 22
India has emerged as a global digital powerhouse over the last 12 years, driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technologies, data centres and digital public infrastructure, according to an official fact-sheet released on Monday.
The fact-sheet highlighted that India has transitioned from being largely a consumer of digital technologies to becoming a creator of globally scalable technology solutions, backed by strong policy support, expanding digital infrastructure and a thriving innovation ecosystem.
One of the biggest drivers of this transformation has been the Digital India programme. Internet connections in the country increased from 25.15 crore in 2014 to more than 102 crore in 2026, while broadband connections surged from 6.1 crore to nearly 100 crore during the period.
In addition, optical fibre coverage more than doubled to over 42 lakh route kilometres, and 5G services now cover almost all districts across the country.
The government underlined India's growing capabilities in advanced technologies.
Under the National Supercomputing Mission, 38 supercomputers with a combined computing capacity of 47 petaflops have been deployed across leading institutions, including indigenous PARAM Rudra systems.
In the semiconductor sector, the Rs 76,000-crore Semicon India Programme has led to the approval of 12 projects worth around Rs 1.64 lakh crore, including a semiconductor fabrication facility, compound semiconductor units and chip packaging plants.
Similarly, the IndiaAI Mission -- approved with an outlay of over Rs 10,300 crore -- is building a common computing facility with more than 38,000 GPUs.
The AI Kosh platform currently hosts over 12,000 datasets and more than 300 AI models spanning 20 sectors.
Moreover, India has made significant strides in quantum technologies.
The National Quantum Mission -- with an allocation of Rs 6,003.65 crore -- has established four thematic hubs and supported several startups.
The country recently demonstrated a secure quantum communication network over a distance of 1,000 kilometres.
According to the government, India's data centre capacity has expanded four-fold from around 375 MW in 2020 to nearly 1,500 MW by 2025, with major hubs emerging in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Noida and Jamnagar.
It further highlighted India's growing influence in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) through platforms such as Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, CoWIN, UMANG and GeM.
Additionally, India has signed agreements with 23 countries for cooperation on DPI, while UPI services are now operational in several countries, including Singapore, the UAE, France, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The nation's rank in the Global Innovation Index improved from 81st in 2015 to 38th in 2025, the government added.
It said sustained investments in digital infrastructure, emerging technologies, research and skilled talent are positioning India as a trusted global hub for next-generation technologies and innovation.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The numbers are impressive but I worry about the digital divide. Internet connections may have quadrupled but what about affordability for the poor? My maid still struggles with data costs on her basic phone. We need to ensure this 'powerhouse' benefits everyone, not just the urban elite. Also, please fix the spam calls problem! 😅
As someone working in tech in Bangalore, I can vouch for this transformation. The startup ecosystem is buzzing, especially in AI and semiconductors. UPI is unmatched globally — I used it in Paris last month and it worked flawlessly. Great to see India not just catching up but leading in some areas.
All well and good but show me the jobs on the ground. My cousin with an engineering degree is still driving an Uber because the AI and quantum jobs are only for the top 1% of IIT grads. Policy support is fine but where is the skilling for the average Indian graduate? We need mass employment, not just headline numbers.
The Global Innovation Index jump from 81 to 38 is no joke. I'm an expat working in Hyderabad's data centre hub and the scale here is mind-blowing. The government's push on semiconductors is also timely given global supply chain shifts. India is definitely becoming the trusted partner everyone wants.
Excellent progress but we must not forget cybersecurity. With 100 crore internet users, the attack surface is massive. The Aadhaar and UPI systems are great but one major breach could set us back years. Hope the government is investing equally in security as it is in building infrastructure. Better safe than
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