Kottayam – Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted India’s rapid pace of innovation and its leadership in adopting artificial intelligence (AI), stating that the country has surpassed both China and the United States in AI downloads. She made these remarks while addressing the convocation ceremony of the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Kottayam.
Referring to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s statement, in which he called India the “capital of AI utilization,” Sitharaman emphasized the significance of this recognition. “This is a very big statement because it means we are not just discussing AI or conducting research, but we are implementing it on a massive scale,” she said.
The Finance Minister provided statistics showcasing India’s rapid AI adoption, revealing that in 2024 alone, the country recorded 3 billion AI-related app downloads, far exceeding the 1.5 billion downloads in the US and 1.3 billion in China. “We are not just leading in AI adoption but also shaping how AI should be regulated,” she added.
Sitharaman also spoke about India’s role in global AI governance, recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the recent AI Action Summit in Paris, which India co-chaired with France. “PM Modi emphasized that AI is not just a national issue but a global responsibility. We need AI that is ethical, inclusive, and trustworthy,” she noted.
She further highlighted India’s progress in innovation, pointing out that the country’s ranking in the Global Innovation Index has improved significantly from 81st place in 2015 to 39th place in 2024. Additionally, she stated that India’s patent-to-GDP ratio has surged from 144 in 2013 to 381 in 2023, reflecting a substantial rise in patent filings over the past decade.
