Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s recent visit to India was more than just a simple diplomatic tour. The visit aimed to explore the potential business opportunities for Nvidia, a company renowned for its graphics processors which are indispensable for the development of artificial intelligence  systems. With the U.S. tightening export rules on high-end chips to China, the global tech industry is in search of an alternative base for electronics manufacturing. India, with its population of 1.4 billion, presents an enormous opportunity for Nvidia to tap into a pool of AI talent, establish a chip production site, and create a market for its products.

In a meeting with top researchers in Delhi, Huang expressed his interest in re-training large segments of the country’s workforce and creating future AI models using Indian data and talent. He showed his faith in the country’s engineering talent, especially the graduates from its top engineering institutions, the Indian Institutes of Technology. Huang’s belief in India’s potential as a strategic partner in the AI sector is clear. By exploring the opportunity to tap into the country’s engineering talent and potentially establishing production sites, Nvidia could enhance its global presence and influence in the tech industry.

Equally important is the potential impact on India’s tech sector. The re-training of its workforce in AI-related fields could lead to significant advancements in the sector, opening new avenues for its economic development. Moreover, the potential establishment of Nvidia’s production sites in India could lead to job creation and tech infrastructure development. This could result in a mutually beneficial relationship where Nvidia leverages India’s talent and market while aiding in the country’s technological advancement and economic growth.

India is on the verge of becoming a global AI powerhouse due to its technical capabilities, distinguished technical universities, 2,500 engineering colleges, and an estimated 1.5 million engineers. AI can be applied in the Indian context to help rural farmers get weather information and crop prices, provide expert diagnosis of medical symptoms and imaging scans where doctors may not be immediately available, and better predict cyclonic storms using decades of atmospheric data. These applications of AI could significantly improve the everyday lives of millions of Indians.