New Delhi: NITI Aayog has launched two key initiatives, ‘Roadmap for AI for Viksit Bharat: The Opportunity for Accelerated Economic Growth’ and the ‘NITI Frontier Tech Repository’ (a curated platform showcasing proven technologies addressing real problems nationwide), outlining a strategy to harness artificial intelligence for India’s goal of sustained eight per cent annual GDP growth.
The AI for Viksit Bharat roadmap, prepared with McKinsey & Company and guided by an expert council that includes N. Chandrasekaran (Tata Sons), Dr. Anish Shah (Mahindra & Mahindra), Chandrajit Banerjee (CII), Neelkanth Mishra (Axis Bank), Anu Madgavkar (McKinsey Global Institute), Mukesh Bansal (Myntra & CureFit), Rahul Matthan (Trilegal), Noshir Kaka (McKinsey & Company), Dr. Chintan Vaishnav and Ishtiyaque Ahmed (NITI Aayog), identifies AI as a “decisive lever” to boost productivity and innovation.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said: “Over a period of the last few decades, the biggest change which has happened and the biggest factor which has joined this constellation of technologies is AI because AI is now affecting practically everything that we do. Like the Internet, which changed everything that we did, AI is also going to fundamentally change the way we work, the way we live, the way we consume… That’s why it’s very important to make sure that we are frontrunners in AI technologies.”
The minister also noted that India can now realistically aim for a “Viksit Bharat,” unlike the early post-independence years. He noted that the country’s current growth is inclusive, strong, and technology-driven, and stressed that no nation can become developed without mastering key technologies.
Furthermore, he listed telecom, semiconductors, electric vehicles, biotech, advanced engines, quantum computing and rare-earth technologies as areas where India must build expertise, talent and leadership.
The report highlights four potential outcomes for AI-led value creation by 2035:
- India as the data capital of the world, leveraging trusted and interoperable datasets.
- An adaptable AI-skilling ecosystem to narrow the talent gap through national certifications and AI-focused education.
- Targeted sectoral growth by accelerating AI adoption in banking, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and automotive industries.
- Future-proofing jobs with continuous reskilling, digital learning accounts, and protection for gig and platform workers.
In his video address, Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran said the AI for Viksit Bharat Roadmap comes at a crucial moment to harness AI for national progress.
He outlined three goals for the initiative: driving India’s economic growth through AI, creating skills and jobs for the country’s youth and using AI to tackle fundamental challenges such as healthcare and education.
According to NITI Aayog, AI adoption across industries could add $500-$600 billion to India’s GDP by 2035, while transforming research and development with generative AI may contribute an additional $280-$475 billion.
Banking and manufacturing are identified as early opportunities, with AI expected to drive up to 20–25 per cent of sectoral GDP. In pharmaceuticals, AI could cut drug discovery timelines by up to 80 per cent and in automotive, it could enable software-assisted vehicles and AI-led component design.
The NITI Frontier Tech Repository will serve as a hub for emerging technologies and best practices, supporting innovation across states and industries.
Strategic enablers include sovereign AI infrastructure, robust governance frameworks, and large-scale skilling programs integrated with digital public infrastructure.
B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, emphasised that “decisive AI adoption and innovation” are essential for India to achieve the Viksit Bharat vision.
The AI for Viksit Bharat roadmap calls for urgent collaboration among government, industry, and academia to transform sectors and secure India’s leadership in inclusive, responsible AI development.
