India Poised to Become World’s Third-Largest Economy: IBM India MD Sandip Patel
Source: IANS
New Delhi: India is not just showcasing its potential but is steadily advancing towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, said Sandip Patel, Managing Director of IBM India Private Limited, during IBM’s flagship event, ‘Think 2025’, held this week.
Patel, in an interaction with IANS on the sidelines of the event, emphasized India’s strong leadership in both economic growth and technological innovation.
“India has been at the forefront of development as well as the technological revolution. Today, we are the fourth-largest economy, and with the investments we are seeing from the government, along with collaboration between industry and academia, I believe India is well on its way to becoming the third-largest economy and achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047,” Patel told IANS.
India’s Technological Momentum and the Vision of Viksit Bharat 2047
Patel highlighted the ongoing efforts by both the public and private sectors to accelerate India’s transformation into a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047.
According to him, this transformation is being powered by the government’s digital initiatives, expanding startup ecosystem, and India’s growing role in global innovation chains.
The Digital India, Make in India, and Startup India initiatives have been instrumental in driving a wave of digitization and entrepreneurship across sectors, while the push for AI and emerging technologies continues to strengthen the nation’s global position.
IBM’s ‘Tech Trinity’: The Core of Future Enterprise Growth
At the ‘Think 2025’ event, Patel discussed IBM’s strategy to address disruptive forces reshaping the enterprise IT landscape — a framework the company refers to as the “Tech Trinity”.
“The tech trinity defined by AI, Hybrid Cloud, and Quantum Computing will enable enterprises to shape their new digital destiny for India. It’s all about translating data into action, scaling growth, and tackling some of the toughest challenges of our times,” Patel explained.
According to Patel, these three technologies are not just tools but the foundation for India’s digital and economic evolution. By combining Artificial Intelligence (AI), Hybrid Cloud, and Quantum Computing, IBM aims to help Indian enterprises accelerate transformation and innovation.
Unlocking the Power of Untapped Data
Patel emphasized that a large portion of enterprise data still remains untapped and underutilized. With the integration of agentic AI, this data can become a powerful driver of growth, innovation, and productivity.
“A large part of enterprise data today remains untapped. When combined with agentic AI, it can significantly boost productivity and redefine business models for the future,” he said.
He added that leveraging AI in combination with Quantum Computing will help solve complex, high-value problems — from risk modeling and drug discovery to autonomous vehicles and faster product development.
Quantum Computing: Transforming Industries
Quantum computing, still in its early stages, is poised to revolutionize industries by enabling problem-solving beyond the capabilities of classical computers. IBM has been at the forefront of quantum innovation, developing scalable quantum systems accessible through the IBM Quantum Network.
Patel noted that this technology has far-reaching implications in industries like finance, healthcare, automotive, and energy, where massive data analysis and complex simulation are crucial.
By combining AI-driven insights, hybrid cloud infrastructure, and quantum algorithms, enterprises can gain new efficiencies, accelerate discoveries, and enhance decision-making.
Airtel-IBM Partnership Strengthens India’s Cloud Ecosystem
In another major development, Bharti Airtel has partnered with IBM to bolster its newly launched Airtel Cloud platform.
This collaboration merges Airtel Cloud’s strong connectivity, secure infrastructure, and local data storage with IBM’s expertise in hybrid cloud and AI technologies.
The goal, Patel said, is to provide Indian businesses with a trusted, scalable, and secure platform to develop, deploy, and manage their AI-driven projects efficiently.
This partnership represents a step forward in India’s AI and cloud computing landscape, enabling enterprises to unlock digital potential while ensuring data sovereignty — a key focus area under India’s data protection framework.
Driving Digital Transformation Through Collaboration
IBM India’s approach to growth emphasizes collaboration between government, industry, and academia. Patel reiterated that the synergy among these sectors is critical for driving innovation at scale.
He also highlighted IBM’s ongoing investments in research, skilling programs, and AI innovation hubs to prepare the next generation of professionals for a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
Through initiatives like IBM SkillsBuild and IBM Quantum Educators Program, the company aims to empower Indian students and professionals with the skills required for jobs of the future — especially in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
India’s Path Forward: A Technology-Driven Economic Powerhouse
India’s rise as a global technology and innovation hub aligns with its growing economic stature. Experts predict that with the right mix of policy support, investment, and innovation, India can surpass both Japan and Germany to become the third-largest economy by 2030.
IBM’s leadership sees this as a natural progression, given the nation’s strong IT backbone, massive digital infrastructure, and expanding startup ecosystem.
Patel’s optimism reflects the confidence of global technology leaders in India’s growth trajectory — a nation moving toward its vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, where economic growth is powered by technology and human innovation.
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople.com
India’s transformation story continues to inspire — driven by a blend of technological innovation, collaborative growth, and a clear national vision. IBM’s confidence in India’s trajectory underlines a larger global sentiment: that the country is not only a growing economy but also a leader in shaping the digital future of the world.