From AI to data centres, India emerges as global digital power in 12 years
New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) India has emerged as a global digital powerhouse over the last 12 years, driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), 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
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