Microsoft inks partnership with IT Ministry for skilling youth, setting up AI CoEs

Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday (January 8, 2025) announced a pact with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, on the heels of announcing on Tuesday (January 7, 2025) that the company would invest $3 billion in India in the coming years. Under the agreement with the IT Ministry’s IndiaAI Mission, Microsoft will engage in skilling efforts for 5,00,000 Indian youth.

In addition, the firm says it will establish a Centre of Excellence to promote rural AI innovation in Tier two and Tier three cities, and “[d]evelop foundational models with Indic language support to address India’s linguistic diversity and unique requirements,” the IT Ministry said in an announcement.

The pact also aims to set up “AI Productivity Labs in 20 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and National Institutes of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELITs) across 10 states to train 20,000 educators and empower 1,00,000 students with foundational AI courses in 200 Industrial Training Institutes,” the government added.

Microsoft also announced partnerships with firms in the financial services, healthcare, edtech, automotive, and public sector space. These include partnerships with the Mahindra group, Apollo Hospitals, RailTel, Bajaj Finserv, and UpGrad.