Budget 2026: Ashwini Vaishnaw expects AI and cloud investments to top $200 billion soon

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw expects India’s investments in AI and cloud infrastructure to surge past $200 billion, driven by strong interest from global tech giants.

In an exclusive interview with Business Today following the Union Budget 26-27 announcement, Minister for Railways, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, outlined a transformative vision for India’s industrial and economic landscape.

The minister highlighted the transition to "ISM 2.0," focusing on self-reliance in the high-tech sector. "The first version, we wanted to get the marquee investments and wanted to create that jumpstart," Vaishnaw explained. "The second version will focus on equipment manufacturing and design in our country... We must focus on making sure that the chips required for the strategic sectors are all designed and manufactured in India."

With massive commitments from global tech giants, the Minister expressed high confidence in foreign direct investment (FDI) growth. Referring to AI data centres and cloud computing, he noted that $90 billion in announcements have already been made. "I wouldn’t be surprised if this number goes above two hundred billion dollars... In the coming months," he stated.

Reflecting on the Prime Minister’s "Reforms Express," Vaishnaw emphasised that the budget provides a roadmap for India to reclaim its status as a global economic power. "This budget lays that foundation and the roadmap for that journey, where from the four trillion dollars, we become twenty-five to thirty trillion dollars," he said.

Highlighting India’s unique position, he added: "Today, the world looks at India as an economy which is the bright spot among the entire globally turbulent world... everybody wants to be a partner with India." By maintaining fiscal prudence alongside a young population, Vaishnaw believes India is set for a "growth runway even beyond twenty forty-seven."