India can emerge as global hub for AI given its tech prowess: Nadir Godrej

India has the potential to emerge as a key hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to the world, Nadir Godrej, MD of Godrej Industries has said citing the nation's success in the domains like technology and GCCs. Godrej further said that India's vision of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 will be fuelled by progressive reforms, ease of doing business, empowerment through education, and the country's edge in new-age technologies.

He also advocated increasing the participation of women in workforce.

"As the economy expands, there will be more and more consumers in India, so that will be a big growth factor. With things like Artificial Intelligence... India has a lot of potential, and hopefully we'll see a lot coming out of India," he said and added that the country can replicate its success in the IT industry, in AI domain as well.


"...Like our IT industry, we could also be a centre for providing AI to the rest of the world. Our Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are doing very well, and we could have GCCs in some of these newer technologies as well," he said.

Godrej also batted for more reforms, lesser regulations, and ease of doing business.

The focus should be on empowerment of people, and more and more women need to be part of the workforce, he added.

Godrej, who was speaking to PTI on the sidelines of Madhya Pradesh Global Investors Summit held in Bhopal recently, said that the company had committed to expanding its factory in Malanpur, and that the expanded capacity should be ready later this year.

"I was at 2023 summit as well in Indore and at that time we committed to expanding factory in Malanpur and we have made investment of Rs 450 crore there. That expansion should be ready later this year and we are hoping that the CM will come an inaugurate it," he said.

The expansion largely covers products that the company is already into.

"But of course, we will make new innovations and new version of those products...that will all be made at this factory. This is going to be the largest soap factory in Asia," he said.

Asked how much employment would be generated from this, he said, "We already employ about a 1,000 people and now it will go up to 2,000".

Godrej said that Madhya Pradesh with its central and strategic location, economy growing at a fast face, enabling policies and single-window clearance is an attractive place to invest.

"We have just made a major investment, we will continue to make investments in MP. Godrej Properties is also doing project in Indore and Godrej Capital has come here as well and Godrej Agrovet has many activities in Madhya Pradesh, because MP is a leading agricultural state...so we think there is a lot of opportunity," he said.