At Github Universe 2024, the developer platform owned by Microsoft announced that India now boasts over 17 million developers actively building on its platform, reflecting a remarkable 28% increase in 2024.
In Q4 FY23, it had 13.2 million Indian developers using GitHub. This surge establishes India as the fastest-growing developer community worldwide. Comparatively, in the US, there were approximately 20 million developers.
According to the latest GitHub Octoverse report, India is emerging as a crucial player in the global technology sector, with substantial contributions to generative AI and open-source projects.
India ranks second globally in GitHub Education users and public contributions to generative AI projects, trailing only the United States. The country experienced a 79% increase in contributions to generative AI projects compared to last year and a staggering 95% year-over-year growth in overall contributions to these initiatives, placing India third globally behind the US and Hong Kong (SAR).
GitHub chief Thomas Dohmke said, “Our latest Octoverse report affirms that India’s developer community is the fastest growing developer population on the planet. India's rise as a global tech titan is now inexorable.”
Further, he added, saying that Indian developers are increasingly leveraging AI to drive innovation, enhancing the likelihood that major multinational companies will emerge from India.
The report also underscores the commitment of Indian developers to open-source projects, with India being the second-largest contributor on GitHub. This dedication is evident in popular projects like ERPNext, which addresses societal challenges and promotes sustainable development through its contributions to GitHub’s For Good First Issue.
Moreover, Indian open-source communities are employing GitHub Copilot, an AI developer tool, to create impactful digital solutions. One such initiative is the Open Healthcare Network (OHC), focused on improving healthcare delivery and management in the country.
The growth of GitHub Education users in India is partly driven by the National Education Policy of 2020, which mandates coding and AI in school curricula. A recent Udemy study identified GitHub as one of the most sought-after skills in India, comparable to English grammar, underscoring its significance in the nation’s educational landscape.
Looking ahead, GitHub projects that India will surpass the US to become the world's largest developer community by 2028, a shift that was initially forecasted for 2027. This ongoing investment in software development and AI literacy positions India as a long-term leader in the global technology arena.
Github Loves India
Earlier this year, Dohmke visited India and announced that GitHub Copilot now supports coding in Hindi. “Together, GitHub and Microsoft will generate a groundswell of developers in India, building and deploying in natural language. India will rise in the age of AI—and we’re here to enable it,” said Dohmke.
Coding in Hindi on GitHub Copilot was also highlighted by Satya Nadella at Microsoft Build 2024. “Think about it — every person can now start programming, whether it’s in Hindi, Brazilian, or Portuguese, and bring back the joy of coding in their native language,” said Nadella.
The company also partnered with Infosys to launch the first GitHub Center of Excellence in Bangalore. The partnership represented a generational opportunity for Global Systems Integrators (GSIs) to lead advancements in the AI and software sectors. “A new day has begun for the world’s GSIs. The Age of Copilot is here,” said Dohmke.
Besides Infosys, other customers of GitHub Copilot in India include Axis Bank, HCLtech, and LTI Mindtree. Axis Bank was the first in the country to adopt Copilot for Microsoft 365 at an enterprise scale, with 300 users, and has achieved over 30% productivity gains in daily work.
Indian IT giant HCLTech developed a Copilot for Microsoft 365 plugin for Microsoft Teams to help software developers and managers streamline bug resolution. Meanwhile, LTIMindtree, an IT and consulting services company, created a Copilot for Microsoft 365 plugin for Teams to optimise staff management.
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