New Delhi, Dec. 16 -- India is approaching one of its most consequential technology inflection points. Microsoft's announcement that it will investUSD 17.5 billion over the next four years to scale cloud infrastructure, expand AI capabilities, and build talent signals confidence in the country's role as a global AI hub.

It is Microsoft's largest investment in India and its biggest commitment in Asia, arriving at a time when enterprises, startups, and public institutions are accelerating AI adoption while grappling with compliance, scale, and workforce readiness.

Yet beyond the headline number, the announcement raises a more critical question for India's enterprise ecosystem: is the country prepared to convert AI infrastructure into real...