India

US equities closed at record levels Thursday, with the S&P 500 and Dow hitting fresh highs after the Fed’s quarter‑point rate cut, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.26% as AI‑linked stocks fell—Oracle down 11% on a revenue miss, dragging Nvidia and Micron, and Broadcom sliding despite earnings beat. Disney will spend $1 billion on OpenAI’s video model, and SpaceX aims for a 2026 IPO. Meanwhile, global fund managers eye India’s $3.3 trillion market, with BlackRock relaunching joint funds.

Big‑tech firms are pouring over $50 billion into India’s cloud and AI infrastructure, with Microsoft committing $17.5 billion and Amazon more than $35 billion, while Intel plans local chip production. Leveraging abundant land, low power costs, a skilled talent pool and a massive digital user base, India is becoming a hub for AI‑driven applications rather than core model development. Analysts see the country’s data‑center market as a “sweet spot” for global providers, offering growth opportunities amid rising domestic demand and regulatory pressures for local data storage.

.Microsoft announced a $17.5 billion, four‑year investment in India’s cloud and AI infrastructure, the largest U.S. tech commitment in Asia. The funds will expand hyperscale data centers, embed AI services in national platforms, and train 20 million Indians in AI by 2030. Alongside Google’s $15 billion and AWS’s $8 billion pledges, the move aims to give Azure a first‑mover advantage and support India’s sovereign digital ecosystem.

.Amazon announced a $35 billion investment in India’s cloud and AI ecosystem by 2030, building on nearly $40 billion already spent. The funding targets AI‑driven digitization, aims to create 1 million jobs, boost AI exports to $80 billion, and provide AI tools to 15 million SMEs. AWS, holding 38 % of the Indian cloud market, will expand hyperscale infrastructure, custom ASICs, high‑bandwidth networking, and edge clusters, while localizing SageMaker models for regional languages. The move leverages India’s talent pool, data‑localization mandates, and export potential, and follows similar mega‑investments from Microsoft and Google.

Tata Electronics has signed a strategic MOU with Intel to jointly develop manufacturing, advanced packaging, and AI‑optimized PC solutions at Tata’s upcoming fab and assembly sites in India. The partnership aims to build the country’s first pure‑play semiconductor foundry for AI, automotive, HPC and storage chips, supporting India’s push to reduce chip imports under the India Semiconductor Mission. Leveraging Intel’s mature technology, Tata seeks to fast‑track domestic supply chains, while Intel targets India’s booming PC and AI markets, creating new revenue streams and localized jobs.

Apple has challenged the Delhi High Court on the Competition Commission of India’s method of calculating antitrust fines, arguing that using global turnover is unconstitutional and could impose a $38 billion penalty. The CCI is probing Apple’s mandatory in‑app purchase system after complaints from Indian startups and Match Group. Despite regulatory pressure, Apple shipped a record 5 million iPhones in Q3 2025 and aims for 15 million annual sales, while expanding Indian exports to $12.8 billion. The case highlights regulatory risk, potential changes to commission fees, and the strategic shift of Apple’s supply chain to India.

Nvidia joins the India Deep Tech Alliance (IDTA) as a founding member, committing to train and mentor Indian startups, leveraging its expertise in AI. This move aligns with a $2 billion commitment from private equity and venture capital investors to fuel deep tech companies in India. Nvidia will provide technical expertise through its Deep Learning Institute, focusing on AI model development and responsible deployment. India, supported by government initiatives and a growing AI market, is poised to become a global deep tech hub, hosting the AI Impact Summit next year.

Google is partnering with Reliance Jio to offer its Gemini AI service to over 500 million Indian subscribers, marking a significant stride in India’s AI race. The collaboration, valued at approximately $396 per user initially, will prioritize early access for young users with Jio 5G plans. This move follows similar initiatives by Airtel with Perplexity and OpenAI offering ChatGPT Go free for a year highlighting India’s growing importance for AI companies. The competition is expected to drive down prices and increase access to AI technologies.

Google plans to invest $15 billion in a new AI hub in southern India, its largest outside the U.S., over the next five years. This signals India’s growing strategic importance in the global tech landscape. Raiden Infotech, Google’s Indian subsidiary, will build three campuses in Visakhapatnam. This investment, part of Google’s increased $85 billion capital expenditure forecast for 2025, aligns with its $25 billion investment in US data centers. Microsoft and AWS are also investing heavily in India, fueling competition and innovation within the sector.

Anthropic plans to open its first Indian office in Bengaluru by early 2026, following its expansion into Tokyo. CEO Dario Amodei is engaging with Indian officials and partners, drawn by India’s high AI adoption rates and government support. Anthropic will focus on AI for social good, enhancing Claude’s performance in Indian languages. While India is currently Claude’s second largest user base, OpenAI’s ChatGPT dominates the market. Anthropic faces significant competition and must ramp up efforts to gain market share. This expansion is part of Anthropic’s global growth strategy.