India’s engineers are poised to make India a global leader in AI innovation
In recent years, India has affirmed its global standing as a major hub for advanced technologies including AI, the foundation of most digital innovations that surround us today. Emerging as the global leader in innovation, research and development, a key factor enabling this growth is India’s rich pool of engineering talent. Leading India’s transformation as a tech superpower, skilled engineers are at the forefront of AI innovation to support a variety of emerging use cases. With AI poised to rule the technology landscape, India’s contribution to its growth will be an example of global leadership.
With this context, on the occasion of Engineer’s Day, leaders from SAP Labs India, ZS, India Innovation, Birlasoft, Amdocs, Zoho Corp., Intuit, Wayfair India TDC, CtrlS Datacenters, TransUnion GCC, EvoluteIQ, Giottus Crypto Platform, Protectt.ai, and Nutanix India have shared their perspectives on how engineers are leading the way in order to position India a global leader in AI.
Rahul Lodhe, Vice President , Head of SAP Artificial Intelligence Technology India, Global Head of Engineering SAP Copilot Joule
“On this National Engineer’s Day, let’s proudly recognize India’s instrumental role in shaping global innovation, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). At SAP Labs India, our engineers are at the forefront of this AI revolution, utilizing groundbreaking technologies like Joule, SAP’s Generative AI assistant, to develop solutions that address complex business challenges and redefine the future in a responsible way. Our strategic collaborations with leading academic institutions including IIM Bangalore, IIITB among others help us nurturing the next generation of AI talent along with upskilling our colleagues. In collaboration with industry bodies like nasscom and CII, we are also driving the integration of AI into India’s ecosystem, fuelling innovation and long-term growth.
India continues to lead in AI talent and skill penetration and tops global AI skill penetration rates and AI talent concentration. The country’s growing talent pool in AI engineering is a powerful testament to our nation’s commitment to excellence and leadership in this sector. The potential for India to lead AI innovation on a global scale is immense, supported by a thriving ecosystem that fosters collaboration between industry and academia, and promotes skill development, experimentation, and groundbreaking research.
Our engineers are driving the innovation engines of businesses worldwide. As we honor engineers today, let’s reaffirm our shared commitment to leveraging AI for societal good, propelling economic progress, and solidifying India’s position as a global leader in the technology landscape.”
Pankaj Sachdeva, Vice President, Data Science & Analytics and Managing Director, India Innovation, Pitney Bowes
“On this Engineer’s Day, we recognize the pivotal role of India’s engineers in driving global innovation. India’s role in the global technology landscape is pivotal, with our engineers powering the innovation engines of leading companies worldwide. The AI engineering talent pool in India is exceptional, characterized by a blend of deep technical expertise and innovative thinking. This unique combination positions our engineers to lead in the AI domain, driving solutions that are not only cutting-edge but also impactful on a global scale.
Our robust talent pipeline has enabled India to maintain the lowest tech talent supply gap among global leaders like the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia. The rapid growth in AI roles and the quality of talent emerging from India are testaments to our potential to become a leader in AI innovation.
AI adoption in India has skyrocketed due to industry collaborations, partnerships, and enterprise-level Generative AI strategies. Around 80% of AI-related progress was driven by these collaborations, bolstered by supportive and forward-thinking policies and industry-academia partnerships that are vital to upskilling talent, expanding professional opportunities and harnessing the full potential of our talent.
Looking ahead, the synergy between industry leaders, academic institutions, and policymakers will be crucial. Together, we can create an environment that nurtures talent and fosters ingenuity, positioning India as a global hub for AI excellence.”
Dr. Selvakumaran Mannappan, COO, Birlasoft
“On Engineers Day, we celebrate the brilliance and dedication of engineers who relentlessly push the boundaries of technology to give us breakthrough innovations. In the realm of AI, Indian engineers are not just keeping pace with global advancements but are often at the forefront. Their expertise in critical areas such as machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics is revolutionizing industries and addressing some of the world’s most complex challenges.
At Birlasoft, we deeply value this talent and are committed to nurturing it through initiatives like our Skillfolio program, which has enabled over 12,000 employees with targeted skill development and career advancement. Additionally, our partnership with Coursera ensures our engineers have access to world-class learning resources, equipping them with the latest tools and knowledge needed to excel in AI-driven industries.
As the global demand for AI talent continues to surge, India is uniquely positioned to emerge as a global leader, thanks to its exceptional engineering workforce and the collaborative ecosystem of industry and academia. Engineers are the architects of tomorrow, and their contributions will be pivotal in shaping the future of AI and technological innovation, both in India and around the world.”
Samit Banerjee, Division President, Cloud Operations Services & Head of Customer Service Unit, Amdocs
“As a technologist, who has closely witnessed the remarkable evolution of the communications industry over the past two decades, I believe that staying at the forefront of technological advancements is vital for economic growth and societal progress. The increased collaboration between industry expertise, technological innovation and entrepreneurial drive has played a pivotal role in India’s economic expansion.
The introduction of generative AI has unveiled a new realm of possibilities, offering transformative potential to reshape our world. It promises to democratize the workforce by empowering employees to enhance their skill sets, adopt broader perspectives, and explore new career paths.
India is poised to become a global powerhouse in AI innovation, driven by its expanding talent pool and robust digital infrastructure. With a vast pool of skilled professionals in key STEM disciplines—including cutting-edge technologies like AI, machine learning and cloud computing—India is well-positioned to drive innovation for global enterprises.
However, continuous efforts in skill development are crucial. With the demand for AI talent increasing every day, India is uniquely placed to address global needs by fostering a young, adaptable workforce that can quickly embrace emerging technologies. Strengthening industry-academia collaborations will be essential in driving ongoing skill development, advancing AI innovation, and ensuring we stay on track in the global AI revolution.
At Amdocs, we are committed to unlocking the potential of our talent by making upskilling and reskilling programs a priority. These initiatives equip our engineers with cutting-edge AI expertise, enabling them to contribute to global advancements and drive innovation.”
Sujatha Iyer, Manager – AI in Security, Zoho Corp.
“India is emerging as a key player in driving global AI innovation, thanks to its expanding and highly skilled talent pool. With a strong emphasis on STEM education, Indian institutions are producing world-class AI professionals capable of tackling complex challenges. The country’s thriving tech ecosystem coupled with a lot of government initiatives like IndiaAI and MeitY’s centres of excellence are further promoting the growth of AI and fostering an environment beneficial to innovation.
Besides, India’s diversity enables the development of AI solutions that are more inclusive and adaptable to a wide range of global contexts. The country’s diverse population, for instance, provides a rich and varied data landscape, which is crucial for training AI models and helps mitigate bias by ensuring representation across different demographic groups. The rapid adoption of AI has also led to a worldwide increase in the growth of varied AI roles, such as research, deployment, and product management.
With its vast talent, data landscape, and growing AI ecosystem, India has the potential to address varied needs in the AI landscape and become a major force in shaping the future of AI innovation globally. As advancements take place at lightning speed in AI, it is equally important for academia, industry, and government to come together so that research sees the light of the day. This way, India as a country can progress in a much faster way.”
Navin Anand, Director of Product Development, Intuit
“India has established itself as a hub of innovation, significantly contributing to global technological progress. The nation’s dynamic AI engineering talent pool is expanding not only in size but also in skill and sophistication. India has a long history of excellence in mathematics, pure sciences and engineering. In recent decades, there’s been a surge of boldness and fearlessness. A new generation of techno-entrepreneurs is driving innovation in India and beyond. These are exciting times, and it’s only a matter of time before India’s unicorns solve problems not just for India but for the world.
AI is one area where India’s strengths can disrupt many companies and services around the world. We are seeing firsthand how Indian technologists are at the forefront of creating end-to-end products and solutions using cutting-edge technologies like AI, Quantum Computing, and Robotics. We’re witnessing a remarkable convergence of quality and quantity that positions India as a potential world leader in AI innovation. To fully realize India’s potential as an AI innovation hub, ecosystem collaboration is key. Intuit is committed to fostering industry-academia partnerships that enhance skills and create professional opportunities. We believe in providing our technologists with continuous learning opportunities. Through our initiatives like Global Engineering Days and programs like MSc in Data Science collaborations with prestigious institutions empower them to push boundaries and innovate freely. This approach sharpens their technical skills and cultivates critical abilities like problem-solving and creativity, further solidifying India’s position as a global AI talent hub.”
Jidnya Shah, Head of Data Science, Wayfair India TDC
“India is playing an increasingly crucial role in global AI innovation, where talent is shaping the future of the industry. With a vast and rapidly expanding pool of highly skilled engineers specializing in AI, machine learning, data analytics, and cloud technologies, India is fast becoming a key player in global AI advancements. This potential is supported by industry-academia partnerships, progressive policies, and a thriving ecosystem fostering professional growth.
At Wayfair, we see immense value in India’s AI talent pool and are dedicated to nurturing it through advanced skill development initiatives. Our newly launched Tech Development Center in Bangalore reflects our commitment to investing in emerging technologies and equipping our employees with the tools to drive AI innovation. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies, including generative AI, our engineers enhance developer productivity and personalize shopping experiences. Through collaboration with academic institutions and industry partnerships, we aim to empower India’s engineers to excel at Wayfair and further India’s position as a global leader in technology and innovation.”
Anil Nama, CIO, CtrlS Datacenters
“India’s engineers are playing a pivotal role in driving global innovation. India has emerged as a key hub for global enterprises, offering a unique blend of technical expertise and cost-effectiveness. This is fuelled by the rapid growth and exceptional quality of India’s AI engineering talent pool, a surge of highly skilled professionals capable of both implementing existing technologies and developing cutting-edge solutions. This talent, coupled with supportive government policies and growing industry-academia partnerships, is propelling India to the forefront of AI innovation. At CtrlS Datacenters, we are committed to empowering this talent by providing the robust infrastructure needed to support this transformative journey. This includes expanding our datacenter operations and creating job opportunities in both urban areas and Tier 2 and 3 cities, further solidifying India’s position as a central talent hub for the tech ecosystem.”
Ganesh Sivaramalingam, Director, Solution Architecture, TransUnion GCC India
India has emerged as a key player in accelerating global innovation for developing global products, platforms, and services. GCCs in India have also evolved, transitioning from cost centers to engines of invention within global business ecosystems. Furthermore, India has established itself as a leading hub for AI talent, witnessing rapid adoption of new technologies and increased investment in cloud infrastructure, positioning it to make a significant global impact. Sectors such as communication, Fintech, customer self-service, cybersecurity, and technology support services have experienced strong AI adoption, with enterprises reaping the benefits of AI investments through cost optimization and personalized customer experiences.
TransUnion’s GCCs in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune are achieving great success by drawing on India’s deep talent pool and thriving AI and data science ecosystem that give the country a unique position as a potential global leader AI. To fully harness the benefits of AI, we must cultivate a community of researchers, engineers, and developers who can pioneer new techniques and drive adoption. This necessitates strategic efforts to train our vast developer workforce in AI skills and nurture fresh talent.
The rise of AI represents a new frontier of technological innovation with immense economic and social potential. With its abundant technology talent and entrepreneurial culture, India can inspire emerging economies worldwide. However, gaps exist between market requirements for new hires’ knowledge and abilities and what academic institutions provide. These gaps call for strong industry-academia partnerships that prioritize R&D and engage in constructive, critical, and deep discussions about the moral implications of using AI and data, which will help build a future-ready workforce.
Mohit Sood, regional managing principal, ZS
“The engineering landscape in India has seen rapid evolution over the last decade with the adoption of emerging technologies like GenAI and nanotechnology across industries. Such advancements have changed the way we work and live. The healthcare sector, for example, is already seeing the implementation of GenAI and AI-powered tools for clinical research, among other areas. Such innovations are not only improving efficiency and productivity but also driving equitable health outcomes for all. A key factor enabling this growth and transformation is India’s rich pool of engineering talent. They are at the forefront of AI innovation, contributing to India’s global leadership as a technology superpower. In fact, with escalating industry demands, NASSCOM estimates that India will need 1 million more engineers with advanced skills in AI, GenAI, and other capabilities over the next couple of years.
At ZS, we combine our capabilities in data, analytics, and technology to transform healthcare and beyond. Our engineers are at the centre of co-creating innovative solutions for our clients. When we onboard engineering candidates, we play an active role in assisting them through apprenticeship and experiential projects to enhance their industry understanding and application of engineering skills. On an ongoing basis, we focus on upskill/ cross skill our workforce to become future-ready. Rapid Skilling is one such example where learning pathways are defined for technology skills relevant to ZS and the industry in future. Participants, primarily from analytics, benefit by gaining a deeper appreciation of next gen technology to improve the impact that we make for our clients.”
Sanjay Koppikar, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, EvoluteIQ
Today, engineering is more data-driven, intelligent, and future-ready. India’s push towards digital transformation is further accelerating AI and machine learning adoption in engineering. These technologies are not only driving innovation but also addressing complex challenges across industries including manufacturing, banking & finance, insurance, and healthcare among others. The shape of ‘Engineering’ and ‘Engineers’ is changing fast. It is morphing into the role of AI-powered Engineer – who would be able to work at 10x speed, 100x efficiency, at least at 20-30% of the cost of the team otherwise needed. As Jensen Huang said once, “AI will not take away your job; an AI-powered person will”.
Simple usage of LLMs will soon be commoditized and the focus will be on custom-specific SLMs (Small Language Models). However, GenAI is fast approaching beyond LLM/SLMs and towards Large Action Models. These “Actions” will play a critical role in the overall impact across all industries. In the manufacturing sector, predictive maintenance is a standout application, using AI algorithms and digital twins to monitor equipment in real-time, analyze data, and predict potential failures before they occur.
Smart infrastructure, powered by machine learning, enables better energy management, optimized traffic systems, and efficient resource distribution. In civil engineering, machine learning models are being used to predict the structural integrity of bridges and buildings, ensuring safety and reducing maintenance costs.
In short, the 4th Industrial Revolution is here to change and move into GenAI Powered 5th Industrial Revolution sooner than anyone anticipated.
Vikram Subburaj, CEO, Giottus Crypto Platform
As we celebrate Engineers’ Day, it is essential to acknowledge the transformative impact AI and machine learning are having across engineering disciplines. From enhancing predictive maintenance protocols in manufacturing to enabling the creation of smart, adaptive infrastructure, these technologies are redefining our capabilities. At Giottus, we harness the power of AI and machine learning to elevate the crypto trading experience – optimising trade execution, ensuring robust security, and offering personalised insights to our users.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, engineers are not just building structures or systems; they are crafting the future of technology itself. By embracing these advancements, we’re driving innovation and ensuring that India remains at the forefront of the global tech revolution. The future is intelligent, and our engineers are its architects.
Mr. Mohanraj Selvaraj, Head – Engineering, Protectt.ai
As India remains at the forefront of technological innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are reshaping the engineering landscape, serving as crucial catalysts for the nation’s growth. AI and ML are set to play a vital role in creating the infrastructure and technologies that drive economic progress, from smarter cities to advanced manufacturing, sustainable energy, and state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions. With a growing emphasis on harnessing AI/ML for futuristic advancements, cybersecurity engineering complements this progress by ensuring secure and sustainable growth. Indian engineering communities are leading the development of solutions that strengthen the resilience and safety of our digital ecosystems. This blend of “revolutionary technologies” and “engineering excellence” is critical in positioning India as a global leader in innovation, driving economic growth, and enhancing the quality of life for millions. Together, we are building a future where technology not only drives progress but safeguards it.
Faiz Shakir, VP & MD – Sales, Southern Asia, Nutanix
“India’s burgeoning AI engineering talent pool, estimated to grow to over 1.25 million by 2027 according to a report by nasscom and Deloitte, is poised to drive global innovation. With world-class researchers and engineers contributing to cutting-edge solutions across industries, India has a unique opportunity to become a global AI hub.
To realize this potential, fostering collaboration between industry and academia, tailored skilling initiatives, and supportive government policies are essential. By nurturing a thriving ecosystem, India can attract investment, drive technological advancements, and shape the future of AI.”
Ravindra Guntur, Sr Staff Machine Learning Engineer, ServiceNow India said “Engineers are at the heart of AI innovation, playing a key role in shaping AI-powered solutions that are transforming industries. Their ability to integrate both traditional AI and newer technologies like Generative AI (GenAI) allows them to address a broad range of challenges. While traditional machine learning (ML) models excel at providing deterministic, reliable outcomes, engineers turn to GenAI when creativity and dynamic problem-solving are needed. This combination enables the creation of more robust, flexible systems that leverage the strengths of both approaches.
To excel in AI development, engineers must master both foundational computer science principles and specialized AI skills. Core competencies in algorithms, data structures, and system design remain essential, even as the field evolves. Collaboration is also critical engineers work closely with data scientists and AI specialists to bring complex AI projects to life, turning conceptual models into practical, scalable solutions.
AI is impacting a wide range of industries, from healthcare and finance to manufacturing and retail, all of which are increasingly reliant on engineering talent to drive AI-based innovation. The engineers of today are not only building the solutions of tomorrow but also pushing the boundaries of what AI can achieve.”
