India leveraging AI and Gen AI to drive impact in the public sector: Jeff Kratz

As technology increasingly shapes governance and public services, Amazon Web Services (AWS) views India as both a proving ground and a global model. Jeff Kratz, Vice President, Worldwide Public Sector Nonprofit and Industry Sales at AWS, spoke to Business Today about how the company’s $16.4 billion investment in India is powering healthcare, digital public infrastructure, and cloud adoption at scale. From Ayushman Bharat and FASTag to DigiYatra and the Poshan Tracker, India’s innovations are now setting templates for other countries to follow. Edited excerpts from an interview:

BT: You are in India at a time when technology is reshaping governance and public services. What was the focus of your discussions with partners and nonprofit leaders during this visit?

JK: A few things stood out. Participants wanted to understand our direction in India. Since 2011, when we opened our first office here, we have invested $16.4 billion, including $12.7 billion announced in May 2023 for cloud infrastructure. They were curious about what comes next—not only in AI but also in storage, migration programmes, and expanding cloud access into more communities. Nonprofits also raised the issue of data sharing. Each has its own database, but unlike the private sector, they want to collaborate, not compete. The question was: how do we share data to help each other? That is where AWS comes in, enabling secure collaboration.

BT: How much investment has AWS committed to India so far? How do these investments translate on the ground?

JK: Our $12.7 billion investment is expected to support 131,700 full-time jobs annually and contribute $23.3 billion to India’s GDP by 2030. We have trained over 6.2 million people in cloud skills, supported startups to go global, and helped international firms expand here.

BT: You have said India can solve challenges for the world. Where do you see this happening?

JK: In healthcare, India scaled its COVID-19 response and is now expanding health insurance to 550 million people. In transportation, DigiYatra has cut airport processing time by two-thirds for 4.5 million travellers. In skills, six million people have been trained in cloud. FASTag has transformed tolling for 550 million users. These innovations can be adapted globally, just as we have seen with Malaysia’s MyMalaysiaApp.

BT: Can you share specific healthcare success stories?

JK: The National Health Authority’s Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, built on AWS, now provides free health insurance of up to ₹5 lakh per family for 550 million citizens. Over 70 million hospitalisations worth $11.2 billion have been processed. Using AI, NHA can now scan prescriptions and claims in real time, helping detect fraud. The Poshan Tracker is another example. It monitors malnutrition across 1.4 million Anganwadi centres, reaching 100 million beneficiaries. And the Government e-Marketplace has become the world’s second-largest B2B platform with $60 billion GMV, powered by AI for accessibility and transparency.

BT: How is AWS helping governments and nonprofits address these challenges?

JK: We start with security—over 300 controls for sensitive workloads. We run migration programmes, invest in partners for state-level scaling, and share global best practices. And we engage with policymakers to modernise older laws for today’s cloud environment.

BT: What trends are you seeing in cloud adoption globally and in India?

JK: Cloud adoption cuts across procurement, healthcare, transportation, education, and trade. Procurement is leading—governments are automating processes, boosting transparency, and saving costs. Healthcare adoption surged during COVID, with innovations in remote diagnostics. In education, India was among the first to enable remote teaching at scale, a model now replicated in Brazil. And cloud is also enabling seamless trade and logistics globally. We are still in the early stages, which makes this even more exciting.

BT: With rising AI use, concerns around data privacy and sovereignty are growing. How are you addressing this?

JK: Our “Sovereign by Design” pledge ensures compliance with local laws. Security is always the top priority. We encourage encryption by default and allow agencies to manage their own keys if they prefer. With generative AI, cloud makes adoption cost-effective. AI is already helping governments with chatbots, traffic insights, healthcare, and even preparing for future viruses. The potential is enormous, but the focus must remain citizen-first.

BT: Developing countries face budget pressures. How do you keep AWS services affordable and scalable?

JK: We pass on efficiencies. Since inception, we have reduced prices 151 times, most recently in November 2024. Our Migration Acceleration Program helps offset migration costs. We also set aside $50 million for AI proof-of-concept projects for governments. And through AWS Trusted Advisor, we help customers identify cost savings at no charge.

BT: Startups are increasingly part of the public sector ecosystem. How do you support them?

JK: Startups have always been central to AWS. Our AWS Activate programme provides credits, mentorship, and technical support. In India, Periwinkle built SmartScope, an AI solution for early cervical cancer screening, already reaching 200,000 women. Eka Care, under Ayushman Bharat, helps doctors manage practices and patients create ABHA health IDs. On GeM, over 30,000 startups are part of the marketplace, showing how public-private collaboration drives innovation.

BT: Finally, why is India so important for AWS?

JK: India inspires us because of its scale, diversity, and ambition. From tackling malnutrition to building platforms like Prasar Bharati’s WAVES OTT, India shows how innovation at scale can serve not just its own people but also the world. Governments here truly act like startups, and that is why India is such a priority for us.