India at forefront of the global digital economy in 11 years: Arundhati Bhattacharya

New Delhi: Arundhati Bhattacharya, President and CEO at Salesforce-South Asia, on Tuesday said that the digital ecosystem in India has grown rapidly in the last 11 years under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary government.

Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of an event here, Bhattacharya, who was recently honoured with the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards, said the country now has one of the largest digitally enabled populations in the world.

“This transformation — powered by a strong policy push, massive digital infrastructure rollout, and innovation — has placed India at the forefront of the global digital economy,” she told IANS.

Bhattacharya, former Chairperson of the State Bank of India (SBI), further stated that the groundwork laid over the past decade is creating a strong base for technologies like AI to thrive, and for this, skilling is absolutely critical.

“The kind of skills required today are very different from those needed a few years ago. So, it’s not just about training the youth — it’s also about reskilling those already in the workforce,” she mentioned.

More than nine in 10 (92 per cent) software development leaders in India believe AI agents will become as essential to app development as traditional software tools. Leaders in the human resource industry in India expect adoption of agentic AI to grow by 383 per cent by 2027, according to recent reports by Salesforce.

The cloud-based software major has its own skilling platform called Trailhead, and it also collaborates with the National Skill Development Mission, AICTE for internships, and Nasscom.

“We’re working with over 3,000 colleges where our courses are credit electives. These partnerships ensure widespread access to relevant training,” Bhattacharya told IANS.

According to her, bringing more women into the AI workforce requires targeted efforts — mentoring, inclusive skilling environments, flexible working opportunities, and a conscious push for diversity.

Answering a question on India becoming the AI capital of the world in the future, she said India can become anything it wants to be.

“The real question is — how are we enabling and empowering our people? If we can provide the right policies, the right opportunities, and ensure widespread skill development, then yes, India absolutely has the potential to become the AI capital of the world. The scale is here, the ambition is here, and with the right nurturing, the outcome can follow,” Bhattacharya told IANS.

On receiving the Padma Shri, Bhattacharya said it was completely unexpected.

“The fact that the government saw it fit to confer this honour upon me fills me with deep gratitude. It’s a moment of pride — not just for me, but for every professional who has strived to make a difference,” she noted.

IANS