Silicon Sprint: Why Google, Microsoft, Intel And Cognizant Are Betting Big On India

Last Updated:December 09, 2025, 21:19 IST

Global giants are not merely expanding—they are placing India at the heart of their long-term strategies

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella meets PM Modi. Image: X

First it was Google, now it is Microsoft, Intel, and Cognizant. A new era of global technology investment seems to be unfolding in India, as the world’s most influential companies are placing unprecedented bets on India’s digital and innovation potential.

Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday. Their conversation culminated in Microsoft committing $17.5 billion, the company’s biggest-ever investment in Asia, dedicated to strengthening India’s AI-first ambition. This came after Alphabet, Google’s parent company, recently announced a monumental $15 billion investment to build a state-of-the-art AI data hub in Visakhapatnam. Designed to be one of the world’s most sophisticated AI facilities, it will stand as Google’s largest hub outside the United States. Intel CEO Lip-bu Tan’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday also underscored a new shift.

Intel reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the country’s semiconductor ecosystem and signed a significant MoU with the Tata Group. Adding further strength to this wave of global confidence, Cognizant’s leadership met with the Prime Minister on Tuesday and outlined a sweeping plan to accelerate AI adoption across industries while investing heavily in education and workforce development. This wave of commitments from Google, Microsoft, Intel, and Cognizant has signalled a striking shift: India is no longer just a market—it is becoming the epicentre of the world’s AI and semiconductor transformation.

Thomas Kurian, Google Cloud’s CEO, earlier called the Alphabet deal a landmark moment in the company’s global AI vision—one that places India at its core. The project, spread over five years in Visakhapatnam, reflects the scale of trust the tech giant is placing in India’s digital future. This momentum was further amplified when Microsoft’s Nadella spoke of India’s unique role in shaping the global AI landscape, while the Prime Minister welcomed the commitment, noting that the world today looks at India with optimism when it comes to the future of artificial intelligence. Microsoft’s investment aims to build the advanced infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities that will power India’s journey into an era of AI-driven innovation.

India’s rise in the technology value chain is also taking decisive steps toward becoming a global semiconductor hub. The Intel-Tata collaboration will enable the manufacturing, assembly, and packaging of Intel-designed products in India, marking a major stride in localising the global chip supply chain. It also opens the door to advanced packaging and the rapid expansion of AI-PC solutions tailored for India’s fast-growing market.

Cognizant, meanwhile, has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding into India’s emerging cities, creating a more equitable and widespread talent ecosystem, and ensuring that the country’s youth are prepared to lead the world in AI-driven productivity and innovation.

Together, these announcements represent one of the most significant moments in India’s technology landscape. Global giants are not merely expanding—they are placing India at the heart of their long-term strategies.

From AI infrastructure and cloud innovation to semiconductor manufacturing and next-generation skills, the world’s biggest companies are aligning their future with India’s vision.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, this is the moment for India’s youth to harness technology, innovate boldly, and help build a better planet. The world believes in India’s digital destiny—and India is ready to lead it, a top government official told CNN-News18, explaining these recent developments.

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