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.

OpenAI is aggressively expanding in India, its second-largest market, driven by ChatGPT’s popularity with over 111 million downloads. While downloads are high, monetization lags U.S. figures, prompting OpenAI to introduce a cheaper subscription plan. The company is also planning a data center and local office, while launching education programs. Challenges include competition from local AI startups, geopolitical factors, and copyright disputes. Success depends on localization, navigating regulations, and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.

Reliance Industries announced significant AI partnerships with Google and Meta at its annual shareholders’ meeting. Reliance will leverage Google’s AI and cloud infrastructure, including a new dedicated cloud region in India powered by clean energy. A joint venture with Meta focuses on delivering AI solutions tailored for Indian businesses, with a $100 million investment. Mukesh Ambani also indicated plans to list Reliance Jio publicly in the first half of 2026. These moves underscore the importance of the Indian market for global tech giants.

Amidst global economic uncertainty, India aims to become the world’s third-largest economy. Prime Minister Modi urges self-reliance, indirectly responding to past criticisms. Reports suggest escalating tensions between the U.S. and India, with growing anti-American sentiment leading to calls for boycotts of American brands like McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Apple. While U.S. companies target India’s affluent consumers, Trump-era tariffs have fueled campaigns promoting indigenous products, potentially impacting U.S. sales in this key market.

India is resisting escalating trade tensions with the US after Washington’s tariff hike on Indian goods. Prime Minister Modi vowed to protect Indian farmers’ interests. The Ministry of External Affairs deemed the US tariffs “unfair” and pledged to protect national interests. Despite concessions already made by India, the US demands more access to India’s agricultural sector, a politically sensitive area. An opposition party member even suggested closing McDonald’s in India in response to the dispute and Trump’s claims regarding India-Pakistan relations.

An Indian man, Hasvardhan Jain, was arrested for allegedly operating a fake embassy near New Delhi. He is accused of defrauding people with false overseas job offers and suspected money laundering. Jain posed as a “Baron” and ambassador of the micronation Westarctica, fabricating documents and possessing cash, diplomatic plates, and doctored photos with world leaders. The fake embassy contained nearly $55,000 in cash and other falsified credentials. Westarctica, an unrecognized entity, highlights the unusual aspects of international relations.

Loop Industries announced a $1.5 million engineering services agreement with ELITe, its Indian joint venture, to support the construction of its Infinite Loop™ India facility. The deal follows a completed initial agreement and highlights engineering services as a key revenue source. Loop is also pursuing off-take agreements with major brands for the India JV to solidify its position in sustainable materials. Ground-breaking is anticipated in the latter half of 2025.