Piyush Goyal says India will lead applied AI, quantum computing
India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal just set some big goals: he wants India to become a global leader in applied AI and quantum computing, much like the country did during the Y2K era.
At the CII Annual Business Summit 2026, Goyal said, "We leveraged the Y2K moment so smartly," and "Now we will be world leaders in applied AI. Who will prepare the applications on these large language models? We, Indians will," highlighting how these fields could shape India's future.
Piyush Goyal targets $2 trillion exports
Goyal announced a bold target: $2 trillion in exports within five to six years, which means growing exports by 15% every year.
He sees AI as more than just a tech upgrade; it's about boosting productivity, expanding markets, and creating new opportunities.
With around 1,800 Global Capability Centers already driving $50 billion in exports (and big names like Microsoft and Google investing), Goyal is pushing for deeper use of AI in manufacturing and value chains to make India more competitive worldwide.