NITI Aayog Analysis
India is poised for a technological revolution, aiming to redefine its global digital standing. On February 12, 2026, NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub launched “India’s Technology Services – Reimagination Ahead,” a ten-year roadmap. This strategy targets increasing the nation’s technology services sector valuation from $265 billion to $750–850 billion by 2035, a crucial step towards achieving the “Viksit Bharat 2047” vision for a developed India, significantly powered by advanced AI.
This roadmap signifies a profound structural shift in the sector, driven by the accelerating influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI). As highlighted by Shri Piyush Goyal (Minister of Commerce and Industry), Shri S. Krishnan (Secretary, MeitY), and B.V.R. Subrahmanyam (CEO, NITI Aayog), the initiative aims for a complete metamorphosis, transitioning India from a labor-arbitrage services model to an AI-native, intellectual property (IP)-driven value creation paradigm. India aspires to be a builder of advanced digital systems globally, spearheading innovation in the AI landscape.
India’s AI Revolution: A Generational Opportunity
AI represents a foundational shift reshaping industries. For India’s technology services sector, this means evolving beyond traditional outsourcing to embrace outcome-oriented and platform-driven delivery. The global prominence of visual searches (with India leading in Google Lens usage) and the widespread adoption of tools like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Claude, and Perplexity underscore the demand for advanced AI solutions. This creates an unprecedented opportunity for India to pivot from IT services leadership to global pre-eminence in building AI-native systems.
The United States exemplifies generative AI’s impact, with users employing specific, longer queries for tasks like coding, writing, and image generation. AI Overviews and multi-agent systems are becoming standard. India’s roadmap is designed to capitalize on these trends, fostering an ecosystem for innovation and value creation through intelligent, scalable, and indigenous AI solutions, crucial for capturing new value pools, upgrading workforce skills, and solidifying global leadership.
NITI Aayog’s “AI for All” Vision
NITI Aayog’s “AI for All” approach focuses on inclusive societal development, leveraging AI for empowerment. The “AI for Inclusive Societal Development” roadmap, launched in October 2025, specifically targets empowering India’s 490 million informal workers, who are often vulnerable to financial insecurity, limited market access, and skill gaps.
“AI is not just a tool for efficiency; it is a catalyst for equity. Our vision is to ensure every informal worker in India can harness the power of frontier tech to bridge the opportunity gap.”
By deploying frontier technologies like AI, blockchain, and immersive learning, this roadmap aims to provide essential tools and opportunities for these workers. The proposed “Mission Digital ShramSetu” initiative seeks to make AI accessible, affordable, and impactful for every informal worker, ensuring technological benefits contribute to an inclusive “Viksit Bharat 2047.”
Five Priority Growth Levers
1. Agentic AI: The Next Frontier
Developing sophisticated AI agents capable of understanding complex goals and executing tasks autonomously. This shifts value from manual execution to intelligent orchestration.
2. Software & Products
A strategic pivot towards building world-class software and product IP, enabling India to move up the value chain and establish a global innovation brand.
3. Digital Infrastructure
Significant investment in data centers (targeting 10 GW by 2030), cloud computing, and high-speed connectivity powered by clean energy.
4. Innovation-led Engineering
Nurturing advanced engineering capabilities in quantum computing, advanced robotics, and bio-inspired AI to create foundational technologies.
5. India-for-India Solutions
Developing AI tailored to unique local challenges, like precision farming and remote healthcare diagnostics, creating a blueprint for developing economies.
Government and Industry Synergy
Achieving these goals requires unprecedented collaboration. Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal stressed building an enabling ecosystem through:
- Accelerated Enterprise AI Adoption: Incentives and best practices for business integration.
- Investment in IP and R&D: Boosting AI research through grants and specialized centers.
- Workforce Reskilling: Comprehensive national-scale programs for the AI-driven economy.
- Regulatory Predictability: Establishing an agile framework for ethics, privacy, and security.
Expanding Global Leadership
India’s AI leadership is built on strategic partnerships and domestic initiatives. NITI Aayog has fostered collaborations to accelerate AI deployment:
Partnership
Microsoft India
Focus on agriculture, healthcare, and local language computing.
Partnership
Intel & TIFR
ICTAI Bangalore hub for research in healthcare and smart mobility.
Lessons from Global Trends
Global trends show a massive shift toward multimodal AI and sophisticated AI agents. Google Cloud and McKinsey identify key resonance areas for India’s roadmap:
Key Trends for 2025-2035
Multimodal IntegrationHigh Impact
Autonomous Multi-Agent SystemsTransformational
Assistive Search ArchitecturesEssential
AI-Enhanced CybersecurityCritical
Challenges and the Road Ahead
Challenges to achieving a trillion-dollar AI-powered technology services sector include ethical considerations, data privacy and security, scaling digital infrastructure, and maintaining a skilled talent pipeline. NITI Aayog’s roadmap provides a framework to address these complexities. The focus on “India-for-India” solutions ensures AI development is grounded in local needs, fostering trust and adoption.
Conceptual Illustration: Integrated Indian Sectors A conceptual illustration showing various Indian sectors (agriculture, smart city, healthcare) connected by glowing digital lines, symbolizing “India-for-India” AI solutions.
Conclusion: India’s AI-Native Future is Now
NITI Aayog’s roadmap declares India’s intent to become a global leader. By pivoting towards IP-driven, outcome-oriented models and fostering innovation, India aims to unlock a trillion-dollar opportunity by 2035.
The vision for Viksit Bharat 2047, powered by advanced AI and a thriving technology services sector, is a tangible goal shaped by strategic policy, robust infrastructure, and national ingenuity. India is poised to redefine its technological landscape and significantly contribute to the global digital future, leading the charge in the AI era.
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