India's AI Workforce Set to Surge by 2027

Significant Growth in AI Talent

New Delhi, Dec 20: Industry forecasts indicate that India's artificial intelligence (AI) talent pool is projected to more than double by 2027, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate of approximately 15%.

This expansion in AI expertise is mirrored by India's participation in global developer activities. According to worldwide statistics on GitHub AI projects, India ranked as the second-largest contributor in 2024, making up 19.9% of all AI initiatives.

Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, stated, “This highlights the robustness of India's AI developer community and affirms the government's commitment to extensive AI training, research, and innovation through the IndiaAI Mission.”

The AI strategy of India is rooted in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making technology accessible to all. It aims to tackle challenges specific to India while generating job opportunities in the AI sector.

AI-related job opportunities span various industries, including IT, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and governance. As the adoption of AI increases in these fields, the demand for skilled professionals is also on the rise.

The Indian government acknowledges this trend and has tailored its AI initiatives accordingly, which is also evident in global evaluations of India's AI workforce.

According to the 'Stanford AI Index Report 2025', India is at the forefront of AI talent acquisition, boasting an annual hiring rate of around 33% and ranking among the leading nations in AI skill penetration.

Since 2016, the concentration of AI talent in India has increased more than threefold. The country is recognized as one of the top three nations in Stanford University’s Global AI Vibrancy Tool, showcasing its growing capabilities in AI talent and infrastructure.

The government has launched various initiatives to foster the development of an AI talent pipeline, such as ‘IndiaAI FutureSkills,’ which focuses on nurturing AI talent and research.

Support is being provided for 500 PhD candidates, 5,000 postgraduates, and 8,000 undergraduates engaged in AI-related fields.

IndiaAI Data and AI Labs are being established in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities through NIELIT to offer courses in AI, data curation, annotation, cleaning, and applied data science. Additionally, 174 ITIs and Polytechnics across 27 states and Union Territories have been approved to set up more IndiaAI Data and AI Labs, as reported by the minister.

Through the ‘FutureSkills PRIME’ initiative, the government, in partnership with Nasscom, is equipping learners with essential skills for the rapidly changing digital environment, including AI, Big Data, and Cloud Computing.