Microsoft and SaaSBoomi teamed up to impact more than 5,000 startups and 10,000 entrepreneurs. Credit: JPstock/Shutterstock.

Tech giant Microsoft has unveiled plans to invest $3bn to bolster cloud and AI infrastructure in India over the next two years.

The investment aims to bolster India’s long-term competitiveness by equipping ten million people with AI skills over the next five years.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

This initiative builds on the company’s previous efforts, including upskilling 2.4 million people in 2024 through its ADVANTA(I)GE India programme, which was launched with the goal of training two million individuals in AI by 2025.

Microsoft is set to expand its cloud and AI services across several data centre campuses in India, adding to its existing three regions, with a fourth scheduled to go live in 2026.

The company’s new AI Innovation Network is expected to foster engagement and research collaboration with select digital natives, providing them with access to Microsoft Research’s (MSR) advanced research and expertise.

Furthermore, Microsoft has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SaaSBoomi, a B2B startups community in India.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The collaboration aims to impact more than 5,000 startups and 10,000 entrepreneurs, upskill more than 150,000 startup employees, and generate more than 200,000 new job opportunities.

It also seeks to attract an additional $1.5bn in venture capital funding for the Indian AI and SaaS ecosystem and support the emergence of more than 50 unicorns and soonicorns.

Indian Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said: “Through the ‘AI for India’ mission, we aim to empower citizens with cutting-edge AI skills, driving innovation, creating jobs, and bridging the digital divide.

“Collaborations with global leaders like Microsoft and similar companies are pivotal in this transformation. By equipping our workforce, especially women and youth, with advanced skills, we are building an AI-ready India, poised for digital leadership and sustainable economic growth.”

In 2024, Microsoft partnered with Indian startup Sarvam AI to bring the latter’s Indic voice large language model (LLM) to Microsoft’s Azure.