Satya Nadella Meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vows to Make India AI-First Nation

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, commending his leadership and reiterating the company’s commitment to AI-driven growth in India.

“Thank you, PM Narendra Modi ji for your leadership. Excited to build on our commitment to making India AI-first and work together on our continued expansion in the country to ensure every Indian benefit from this AI platform shift,” Nadella said in a post on X.

In response, Modi said, “It was indeed a delight to meet you, Satya Nadella! Glad to know about Microsoft's ambitious expansion and investment plans in India. It was also wonderful discussing various aspects of tech, innovation and AI in our meeting.”

Nadella is currently touring India as part of the Microsoft AI Tour, where he will be speaking in Bengaluru on January 7, 2025, and in New Delhi on January 8, 2025. Last week, Nadella met with Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad to discuss the state’s technology priorities, including AI, generative AI, and cloud development.

During his visit to India last year in February 2024, Nadella announced ambitious plans to train 2 million people in AI skills by 2025. This initiative, known as ADVANTA(I)GE INDIA, aims to address the AI skills gap and create new opportunities across the nation.

Nadella’s tour included meetings with top business leaders and government officials. In Mumbai, he highlighted the potential of AI to drive GDP growth, citing that out of India's targeted $5 trillion GDP by 2025, approximately $500 billion could be driven by AI.

Microsoft India employs over 20,000 people across 10 cities, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurugram, Delhi, Noida, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune, with Hyderabad alone accounting for half the workforce at 10,000 employees.

For the fiscal year ending March 30, Microsoft’s India business posted a 38.44% increase in net profit year-on-year, driven by the steady growth in cloud adoption and AI.