Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella has announced a massive expansion of the company’s investment in India’s artificial intelligence ecosystem, underlining the country’s growing importance in the global tech landscape.
Speaking at a Microsoft event, Nadella confirmed that the company is focusing on infrastructure, cloud growth, and skill development programs to prepare millions of Indians for an AI-driven future.
Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella said, "We are very excited about investing in India to make sure that we're able to bring the best in class infrastructure here, the USD 17.5 billion investment," describing it as Microsoft’s largest investment across Asia.
The investment aims to strengthen Microsoft’s cloud footprint across India, expanding Azure’s capabilities and enhancing access to high-performance computing infrastructure for enterprises, developers, and startups.
"We're building on Azure as the world's computer and we have 70 plus data centre regions all over the world. In India, the footprint continues to grow. We now have central India, West India, South India, and we have a partnership with Jio as well," Nadella said.
He also announced that a new data centre region would become operational in 2026, adding, "We are very excited that in 2026, we will have a new DC in south central and then the most exciting part for me is that it's 100 per cent sustainable."
This expansion underscores Microsoft’s commitment to both scalability and sustainability in its Indian operations.
Nadella highlighted the significance of digital sovereignty alongside cybersecurity in the age of AI. "We are taking sovereignty and making sure that there's a portfolio of options for sovereignty. So you have the public cloud, you have sovereign controls in public cloud..." he explained.
He emphasized that security cannot be separated from sovereignty, stating, "Cyber security is a signals game--you can be sovereign and not have global intelligence--you'll be vulnerable in fact." Microsoft processes "trillions of daily signals" to secure its platforms, from Azure to Windows, ensuring robust protection for users.
Nadella mentioned that he recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed strong support for the $17.5 billion investment, particularly for driving social impact, economic growth, and technology adoption across India.
This new commitment adds to Microsoft’s prior $3 billion investment announced during Nadella’s last visit, reinforcing the company’s long-term vision for India as a global AI hub.
Addressing India’s talent landscape, Nadella highlighted Microsoft’s efforts to upskill citizens in AI technologies. "We are now going to skill 20 million people across India in AI skills," he said. He also acknowledged the role of government initiatives such as the E-Shram program, which showcases how AI can empower unorganized workers.
Nadella praised India’s contribution to the global developer ecosystem, stating, "India is slated to become the number one community in the world with GitHub by 2030," acknowledging the quality of projects and engagement from Indian developers.
GitHub, a web-based platform for version control and collaboration, is widely used by developers to manage and share code efficiently. Nadella concluded his speech by reiterating Microsoft’s mission: "At the end of the day, this is all about empowering every person and every organisation in India to be able to achieve more. Let's keep building."
Microsoft’s $17.5 billion investment marks a historic milestone for India’s AI and cloud ecosystem. By expanding its data centre footprint, focusing on sustainable infrastructure, and skilling 20 million Indians, the company is positioning India as a global technology and AI powerhouse. This initiative also strengthens cybersecurity, digital sovereignty, and India’s role in the worldwide developer community, ensuring long-term economic and technological growth.