Headline: NASSCOM Pushes Indian Startups to Embrace Generative AI or Risk Falling Behind
India’s apex tech body NASSCOM has issued a clear advisory to the country’s growing base of tech startups: adopt generative AI now or risk global irrelevance.
In a policy note released this week, NASSCOM emphasized that generative AI — including tools for content creation, coding, automation, and customer interaction — is no longer optional. It urged Indian startups to invest in AI capability-building, upskilling talent, and integrating GenAI APIs into their products to remain competitive against global counterparts.
The warning comes amid concerns that Indian startups are slow in adopting AI at scale, unlike the US and China, where even early-stage companies are embedding AI deeply into operations.
To accelerate adoption, NASSCOM is launching a Generative AI Startup Acceleration Program in partnership with academic institutions and major cloud providers, offering AI credits, mentorship, and access to global datasets.
Industry insiders say this could define India’s AI trajectory over the next decade—either as a global AI powerhouse or a follower in the innovation race.
