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Microsoft Pledges $17.5 Billion for India AI Buildout, Its Largest in Asia

The pledge, unveiled after Satya Nadella met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will roll out over four years.

Overview

  • Microsoft says the commitment will fund infrastructure, skills programs, and sovereign AI capabilities across India.
  • An official company note states the funds will be deployed over four years, expanding on a previously announced $3 billion plan.
  • Modi welcomed the move after meeting Nadella in New Delhi, calling it an opportunity for Indian youth to drive AI innovation.
  • Microsoft highlighted progress on secure, sovereign hyperscale data centers, citing the India South Central cloud region in Hyderabad expected to be operational by mid-2026.
  • The announcement comes as global tech groups scale up in India, including Google’s $15 billion plan, OpenAI and Anthropic office moves, Perplexity’s Airtel partnership, and Amazon’s new intent to invest over $35 billion by 2030.