U.S. chipmaker Nvidia is expanding its footprint in India through new partnerships with leading venture capital firms, as it seeks to identify and support the country’s next generation of artificial intelligence startups.
In a statement released Wednesday, Nvidia said it is working with prominent investors including Peak XV, Z47, Elevation Capital, Nexus Venture Partners and Accel India to identify and fund AI-focused startups.
The move comes as global investors increase exposure to India’s technology sector, drawn by strong initial public offering activity and government-backed incentives aimed at building domestic digital capabilities.
Growing AI Ecosystem
India is currently hosting a major AI summit attended by global technology executives and government leaders. Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang was expected to participate but withdrew due to unforeseen circumstances.
According to Nvidia, more than 4,000 Indian startups have already joined its global startup program, which provides technical support, go-to-market assistance and access to computing infrastructure.
The company said it is also collaborating with government agencies and research institutions as part of broader efforts to strengthen India’s artificial intelligence ecosystem.
Nvidia’s expansion aligns with New Delhi’s “IndiaAI Mission,” a national initiative aimed at accelerating AI development and supporting domestic entrepreneurs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly outlined ambitions for India to emerge as a global technology powerhouse.
Semiconductor and Infrastructure Push
India has approved semiconductor projects worth approximately $18 billion as of last September, part of a strategy to build a local supply chain and reduce reliance on imports.
Nvidia has also partnered with Indian cloud and infrastructure companies including Yotta Data Services, Larsen & Toubro and E2E Networks to deploy AI chip clusters and support the development of data centers.
A senior official in New Delhi has indicated that India expects up to $200 billion in data center investments over the coming years. Industrial conglomerate Adani Group has announced plans to invest $100 billion in renewable energy-powered, AI-ready data centers. Meanwhile, U.S. technology firms including Amazon, Microsoft and Google have collectively committed more than $50 billion toward AI infrastructure and chip investments in India.
Focus on Sovereign AI
Beyond hardware partnerships, Nvidia said it is supporting Indian companies through its “NVIDIA Nemotron” family of AI models. These models can be used to develop chatbots, AI agents and speech systems tailored to local languages and datasets.
The initiative aligns with India’s emphasis on “sovereign AI”, the concept of developing artificial intelligence systems using domestic infrastructure, data and industry capabilities to reduce dependence on foreign providers.
Analysts say Nvidia’s strategy reflects a broader recognition of India’s growing role in global AI development, particularly as demand for computing infrastructure and localized AI solutions accelerates across emerging markets.
