India is rapidly transforming into a global technology and industrial powerhouse, making significant progress across sectors such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductor manufacturing, real estate, utilities, and aerospace. A series of recent developments highlights India’s emergence as a future-ready destination for innovation, investment, and sustainable growth.
India emerges as a prime hub for AI infrastructure and chip manufacturing.
According to Moody’s Analytics’ report, AI Is Beating the Odds, India is becoming a preferred destination for data centers and semiconductor manufacturing, joining Singapore and Malaysia as key beneficiaries of the surge in AI investments. While cross-border investments are slowing globally due to rising trade tensions, capital expenditure on AI infrastructure is rising sharply to meet growing demand.
India’s strengths lie in its cost-effectiveness, abundant tech talent, and robust digital policy ecosystem. These advantages are drawing investments from major U.S.-based tech companies looking for scalable and stable environments for AI development. India’s proactive stance on infrastructure and skilled workforce has positioned it at the forefront of AI-led global expansion, transforming it into a strategic hub for future innovation.
IT/ITeS Flexi Workforce Expected to Reach 900,000 by 2030
India’s information technology and IT-enabled services (IT/ITeS) sector is rapidly adopting flexible workforce models. A report by Careernet, The Rise of Flexi Staffing, forecasts that the number of flexible (gig) workers in the sector will more than double from 390,000 to 900,000 by 2030. The sector currently employs 5.8 million professionals, with flexi workers now making up 7% of that total.
India’s booming gig economy is growing at a compound annual rate of 15%, driven by demands for agility, specialization, and scalability. Bengaluru leads the trend, contributing 25% of flexi hires, followed by Hyderabad (15%), and cities like Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, and Chennai, each contributing about 10%. Interestingly, Tier II and III cities now account for 20% of this flexible talent pool—an indicator of decentralization in hiring and the growing availability of local talent at lower overhead costs.
For the younger workforce, particularly millennials and Gen Z, flexible roles offer career exploration, continuous skill development, and improved work-life balance. For businesses, this model reduces infrastructure costs and increases responsiveness to shifting global market conditions.
India’s Real Estate Sector Closes FY25 with $6.99 Billion in transactions.
India’s real estate market showed strong resilience in FY25, recording 99 deals worth approximately $6.99 billion, according to Grant Thornton Bharat. Private equity played a dominant role, accounting for $3.15 billion across 48 transactions, while public market instruments like IPOs and QIPs raised $2.99 billion.
Merger and acquisition activity also rose, with 36 deals worth about $619 million, largely focused on mid-sized and platform-based acquisitions. Grade A commercial, warehousing, and retail assets drew significant institutional interest, buoyed by post-pandemic recovery in office leasing and high consumer demand in urban centers.
Residential sales grew 77% between FY19 and FY25, with primary sales now accounting for 57% of the total market. Although affordable housing sales dropped by 9% in Q1 FY25, unsold inventory fell by 19%, indicating strong market absorption and a shift toward premium properties. Demand from global capability centers, IT/ITeS, and e-commerce firms fueled a sharp rebound in leasing, especially in Tier I and emerging Tier II cities.
Developers and investors are increasingly prioritizing ESG-compliant assets and incorporating advanced technologies like AI, blockchain, and IoT into planning and leasing. These factors point toward sustainable, tech-driven real estate growth in FY26.
The technology spending in the utility sector is projected to nearly triple, reaching $3.76 billion by 2027.
India’s utilities sector is on a digital transformation path, with technology investments expected to grow from $1.68 billion in 2022 to $3.76 billion by 2027, according to a white paper by the Independent Directors Council (IDC) supported by Airtel Business.
A key catalyst is the government’s Smart Meter National Program, which aims to replace 250 million traditional meters with smart meters to reduce aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses—currently 15.4%, nearly double the global average. As of February 2025, only about 9% of the sanctioned meters had been installed.
Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is emerging as the preferred connectivity method for these meters due to its low-power, wide-area capabilities. Cellular IoT connections in the utilities segment are projected to grow at a CAGR of 25.6% through 2027.
Airtel has deployed 1.7 million NB-IoT meters in Bihar and has connected over 20 million IoT devices across India. Airtel’s platforms provide comprehensive smart meter management, ranging from feasibility testing to data visualization, thereby fostering the development of smarter energy infrastructure.
India will assemble Dassault Falcon 2000 jets by 2028.
In a landmark partnership unveiled at the Paris Air Show, Reliance Aerostructure Limited (RAL) and French aerospace firm Dassault Aviation announced that Falcon 2000 business jets will be assembled in India by 2028. This marks the first time in Dassault’s 106-year history that production of this aircraft will occur outside France.
The Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd. (DRAL) joint venture will set up a state-of-the-art assembly line at the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub (MIHAN) in Nagpur. The facility will also serve as a global Center of Excellence (CoE) for future Falcon models like the 6X and 8X.
This collaboration supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India for the World visions. Dassault’s CEO, Eric Trappier, emphasized the shift of assembly operations to India, and DRAL has already delivered over 100 major sub-assemblies. The partnership is expected to generate hundreds of skilled jobs and foster a robust aerospace supply ecosystem.
From data centers and AI infrastructure to flexi workforce trends, real estate innovation, smart utilities, and aerospace manufacturing, India is undergoing a major transformation. These developments not only reflect economic momentum but also validate India’s evolution into a global hub for next-generation industries. With a supportive policy environment and a deep talent pool, India is emerging as a formidable force in shaping the world’s technological and industrial future.
