Microsoft Partners with Government to Boost AI Skills in India, Aims to Train 5 Lakh by 2026

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, during his visit to India as part of the "Microsoft AI Tour," announced a partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to advance AI education and innovation in the country. The initiative aims to skill 500,000 students, educators, developers, government officials, and women entrepreneurs in AI by 2026.

As part of this collaboration, Microsoft will establish an AI Center of Excellence, support 100,000 AI developers, and set up 20 AI productivity labs in National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and NIELIT centers across 10 states to train 20,000 educators in AI fundamentals.

The partnership will also prioritize the development of AI solutions for key sectors such as healthcare, education, accessibility, and agriculture, addressing India's specific challenges. Additionally, it will focus on creating foundational AI models with Indic language support and advancing research through Microsoft Research (MSR) India. Eligible AI startups will benefit from access to Microsoft’s Founders Hub program, offering technology, mentorship, and business resources.

During the event, Nadella further emphasized that Microsoft plans to invest $3 billion in India over the next two years, an announcement made at the Microsoft AI Tour event in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The company also outlined its intentions to invest in new data centers to boost its AI infrastructure.

Through the ADVANTA(I)GE India initiative, Microsoft aims to equip 10 million Indians with AI skills by 2030. Additionally, Nadella revealed that the upcoming data centers in India will feature waterless cooling systems and be powered by renewable energy, aligning with Microsoft's commitment to achieving carbon negativity by 2030.

During the event, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and president Puneet Chandok called AI the "guardian angel" of the future for consumers. They see a future where AI is widely used, helping consumers, while developers and companies use Microsoft’s technology to build AI-driven solutions.

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