India's 'AI for All' Strategy: MoS Prasada Highlights Skill & R&D Focus

New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) India's 'AI for All' mantra is backed by concrete action with the country leading in AI skill penetration and talent concentration, Union Minister Jitin Prasada said on Thursday as he urged industry leaders to prioritise research and development (R&D) to capitalise on India's position as a global skill capital.

Prasada, Union Minister of State for Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, was delivering a keynote address at the Nasscom Global Confluence 2025 here.

"Our mantra 'AI for All' is backed by concrete action. India is number one in the world in AI skill penetration -- the AI skill index even outstrips the US and Germany.

"It's just not about numbers, it's about impact. As nations across the globe embrace digitalisation to modernise traditional sectors and fuel economic growth, India stands ready to be a strategic technology partner," the minister asserted.

Stressing that India is open for business and ready to lead, Prasada urged industry leaders to make research a top priority in their future strategies.

"India is the skill capital of the world and we are ready to share, venture across the world, and contribute to various sectors given the enormous edge that we have on the skill front.

"We are also ensuring that even the future skills programmes reach every nook and corner to the last mile on the ground -- to our villages, where our workforce should be ready to tackle and engage with the changes in the transformation that's happening across the globe in the tech front," he said.

The country's strength reflects its capacity for innovation and resilience in the dynamic global landscape, Prasada said, adding that the Indian IT industry is a testament to that vision and resilience.

"In the fiscal year 2024, this industry recorded a remarkable revenue of USD 254 billion, a figure that underscores its role as a global powerhouse.

"With a presence in over 80 countries and a track record of delivering cutting-edge solutions to fortune 500 companies, Indian IT firms have become synonymous with innovation, reliability, and excellence. Our strength lies in our highly skilled workforce, our deep expertise in emerging technologies, and our ability to partner with the world in its digital transformation journey," he noted.

Referring to his dual responsibilities in governance -- Commerce and IT, the minister noted that both sectors are currently the flavours of the season, and emphasised that India is on a strong footing to capitalise on their growth.