Rajat Khare on How India Can Harness AI to Challenges

India is no longer just a source of global tech labor. The country is rapidly positioning itself to become an AI superpower.

India stands at a critical juncture in the global tech evolution. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to shape industries and drive innovation worldwide, India, with its vast pool of engineers and data scientists, is uniquely positioned to take the lead. However, one significant obstacle continues to hinder the country’s AI ambitions brain drain.

Rajat Khare, the founder of Boundary Holding, a Luxembourg-based venture capital firm, believes that India has all the necessary assets to become a global leader in AI. However, the key lies in stopping the outflow of talent and fostering a conducive environment where innovation can thrive.

India’s AI Potential

India is on the brink of making significant strides in AI, especially in developing its own AI model. The Indian government is already working on a homegrown large language model (LLM), which could rival global products like ChatGPT. With the support of over 18,600 GPUs, India has the computational power to train world-class models. This initiative highlights the country’s commitment to becoming a significant player in the AI landscape.

The Issue of Brain Drain

Despite India’s vast talent pool, a large portion of its AI experts and data scientists are working abroad. Around 15% of the world’s AI talent is attributed to India, but much of it is lost to international research labs and tech companies. Khare points out that this “abundance” of talent is not serving India’s technological interests as it ideally should. Every year, thousands of skilled professionals leave India in search of better research opportunities, higher pay, and greater global exposure.

What India Must Do to Retain Talent

To stop the outflow of talent and establish India as a destination for innovation, policymakers and business leaders need to act swiftly and strategically. Here are some key steps Khare suggests India should take:

1. Fund AI Research: India must set up more AI centers of excellence, not just in metropolitan areas but in tier-2 cities as well. This will help foster innovation across the country, ensuring that AI research isn’t concentrated in a few hubs.
2. Make Staying Worthwhile: India must create AI fellowships, provide PhD incentives, and offer global-level salaries for researchers to make staying in the country attractive for top talent. Competitive compensation will play a critical role in retaining experts who might otherwise move abroad.
3. Support Deep-Tech Startups: Encouraging investment in AI-focused ventures that address local challenges at scale is vital. These startups have the potential to create solutions tailored to India’s unique needs, contributing both to the economy and to global technological advancement.
4. Build International Linkages: India can benefit by inviting Indian-origin researchers abroad to contribute to national projects either by relocating or remotely. This will ensure that India remains connected to global research networks, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.
5. Showcase India’s Ambition: Hosting the 2026 Global AI Summit would be an excellent opportunity for India to set the global AI agenda and position itself as a leader in AI development.

Khare emphasizes that India’s economy is on track to become a $10 trillion economy in the near future. This economic strength provides the opportunity to compete on the global stage, attracting talent and investment from all corners of the world.

India’s Multilingual Advantage in AI

An AI that can understand languages like Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, and Marathi not just grammatically, but culturally could revolutionize communication and service delivery across the country. This capability could serve local businesses, government programs, and rural populations in ways that global tools cannot, bridging the digital divide and improving accessibility.

A Global AI Leader in the Making

As Rajat Khare states, “The government has been actively promoting AI… but the real test will be how well we retain and nurture talent. That will decide whether we lead or follow.”

India has all the right elements to lead the world’s AI revolution. What it needs now is a concerted effort to stop the outflow of talent, invest in its AI ecosystem, and create an environment where innovation and research are truly valued. By doing so, India can not only harness AI to solve local problems but also contribute to global solutions, cementing its position as a leader in the AI space.

Source :- https://www.businesstoday.in/impact-feature/story/rajat-khare-believes-india-can-lead-the-worlds-ai-revolution-by-just-stopping-brain-drain-478096-2025-05-28

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