Prabhu RamIndia’s role in global technology and digital infrastructure is entering a more consequential phase. In a recent appearance on CNBC’s Inside India, I discussed India’s growing role as a global tech infrastructure and manufacturing hub as companies such as Apple and other multinationals diversify supply chains beyond China, and what that means for the country’s position in global value chains.
The discussion also examined the pressures that come with this transition, including the implications of recent cyber incidents for India’s readiness to handle high-value global tech operations, the stronger cyber standards, vendor controls, IP protection, and regulatory clarity global companies will look for before committing more critical operations to the country, and how India must balance the data-centre and digital infrastructure opportunity with its impact on power, water use, and local communities.
We also touched on the structural transition underway in India’s IT sector as AI reshapes demand and delivery models, and whether Jio has the potential to emerge as India’s next global technology giant. My view is that the opportunity is broader than any single company. India’s scale creates the conditions for multiple firms to break out globally, including newer players such as Sarvam AI and Emergent, as the market’s population scale, digital adoption, and infrastructure depth provide a strong platform for building at scale.
The broader takeaway is that India’s next phase of digital growth will depend not only on scale and market opportunity, but also on its ability to build resilience, trust, sustainability, and deeper technology capabilities as it moves into more strategic manufacturing and digital infrastructure roles.
I discussed these shifts on CNBC’s Inside India.
