Microsoft to invest $3 billion in India for cloud expansion, train 10 mn Indians on AI: CEO Satya Nadella

Microsoft will invest $3 billion in India to expand its cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, chairman and CEO Satya Nadella said on Tuesday, calling it the single largest expansion the tech giant has ever done in the country.

Delivering keynote address at a Microsoft event in Bengaluru, Nadella said there is fantastic momentum in India where people are pushing for a multi-agent kind of deployment.

"I am really really excited to announce the single largest expansion we have ever done in India by putting USD 3 billion additional dollars to expand our Azure capacity," Nadella said.

He said that the company is doing a lot of regional expansion in India.

Microsoft will also train 10 million people in India on artificial intelligence skills by 2030 as part of the second edition of its ADVANTA(I)GE India program.

"Today’s announcement strengthens our belief in India’s potential and our resolve to equip the country with the resources and future-ready skills needed to excel in the global marketplace," Puneet Chandok, president, Microsoft India and South Asia said.

In a post on X, Nadella thanked Modi for his leadership and said, "Excited to build on our commitment to making India AI-first and work together on our continued expansion in the country to ensure every Indian benefits from this AI platform shift."

Expressing delight over the meeting, Modi said, "Glad to know about Microsoft's ambitious expansion and investment plans in India. It was also wonderful discussing various aspects of tech, innovation and AI in our meeting."

Nadella's last visit to India was in February 2024.

During his last visit, the Microsoft chairman highlighted the pivotal role of India's developer community in building cutting-edge products and solutions that solve challenges for the nation and can be deployed around the world.

Nadella had unveiled the Advanta(I)ge India initiative, aiming to provide 2 million people in India with AI skilling opportunities by 2025. Microsoft also extended its "Code; Without Barriers" programme to India, offering skilling and certification opportunities to 75,000 women developers in 2024.