The union minister for Electronics and Information Technology described data as “the new oil” and data centres as “the new refineries,” underscoring India’s goal of achieving self-sufficiency in critical minerals and digital infrastructure in the coming years under the government’s vision of Aatmanirbharta.
Praising the rapid and efficient rollout of 5G across the country, the minister said India’s achievement has garnered global recognition. He also highlighted India’s growing footprint in artificial intelligence (AI), announcing that Bengaluru-based startup Sarvam will launch its indigenous AI model by December 2025 or January 2026, expressing excitement to use the model once released.
The minister further lauded Google’s plan to establish an AI hub in Visakhapatnam with an investment of $15 billion, calling it a major boost for AI research in India. Meanwhile, speaking on telecom advancements, he said 6G will completely replace existing 4G and 5G networks in the coming years. The minister also emphasised India’s leadership in digital infrastructure, noting that more than 13 countries are currently using India’s UPI framework, while over 50 others have shown interest in adopting the Aadhaar architecture.
