Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella today announced that the company will invest $3 billion in India in cloud and AI infrastructure. This is going to be used in the skilling of the workforce and establishing new data centres in the next two years. The company plans to train 10 million people over the span of the next five years.

“India is rapidly becoming a leader in AI innovation, unlocking new opportunities across the country. The investments in infrastructure and skills we are announcing today reaffirm our commitment to making India AI-first and will help ensure people and organizations across the country benefit broadly,” said Microsoft chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella at the Microsoft AI tour in Bengaluru.

The investment reflects Microsoft’s commitment to India’s journey to become an AI-fast nation. The company wants to cement its position as a leader in AI. It’s working to empower organizations to develop and use AI in ways that will serve the public good. It already has three functional data centres in the region and the fourth will be available by 2026. Microsoft wants to develop a scalable AI computing ecosystem to meet the growing demands of India’s rapidly increasing AI start-ups and research community.

“In the last 12 months, Microsoft has been a copilot to making AI a reality in India, taking it from boardrooms to classrooms, commerce to communities, and finance to farmers. Today’s announcement strengthens our belief in India’s potential and our resolve to equip the country with the resources and future-ready skills needed to excel in the global marketplace. We will continue to use AI to unlock possibilities for the next few decades and ensure communities across the country have access to the computing they need to prosper in the AI era” said Puneet Chandok, President of Microsoft India and South Asia.

The six guiding principles of Microsoft's responsible AI strategy are accountability, transparency, privacy and security, fairness, and dependability and safety. Microsoft started the ADVANTA(I)GE India initiative in 2024 with the audacious plan to train two million individuals in artificial intelligence by 2025. With 2.4 million people trained in less than a year, Microsoft has exceeded this goal ahead of schedule, demonstrating its dedication to providing fair AI opportunities for every Indian. Notably, 74% of participants were from tier II and tier III cities, and 65% of participants were women, guaranteeing inclusive coverage throughout the nation.