Ashwini Vaishnaw: “Data is the new oil, data centres are the new refineries”

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday described data as “the new oil” while highlighting India’s strides in 5G rollout, AI innovation, and digital infrastructure at the NDTV Word Summit. He said India aims for Aatmanirbharta in technology and critical minerals.

New Delhi: Underlining India’s ambitious digital transformation agenda, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Saturday described data as “the new oil” and data centres as “the new refineries.”

Speaking at the ‘NDTV Word Summit’ here, the minister emphasised the government’s vision of Aatmanirbharta, saying India aims to become self-sufficient in critical minerals and digital infrastructure in the coming years.

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“We must make sure that the talent in our country finds opportunities here rather than going out,” Vaishnaw told the gathering.

Commenting on India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Vaishnaw said the government is “going big on digital credit,” as part of its effort to make financial services more accessible through technology.

Hailing the fast and efficient rollout of the 5G network within the country, the minister noted that India’s achievement has drawn global attention.

“India rolled out 5G at a pace that amazed the world. We have the second-largest 5G network in the world. This helped us reach out to far-flung areas. About 90 per cent of the country is covered with 5G network,” the minister noted.

Vaishnaw also highlighted India’s growing presence in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), announcing that Bengaluru-based startup Sarvam will launch its indigenous AI model by December this year or January next year, adding he is excited to use Sarvam’s model once it is released.

The minister also praised Google’s proposal to establish an AI hub in Visakhapatnam with $15 billion investment, claiming that it will support the development of AI research in India. “It is crucial that our nation has computer facilities. The ability to conduct quality research and create AI applications will greatly improve once we have them,” he stated.

According to Vaishnaw, 6G will completely replace the current 4G and 5G networks in terms of telecom technology. “6G will be completely different — a new paradigm. Everything in your hand will be a part of that network,” he said.

The minister emphasised India’s leadership in digital infrastructure worldwide, pointing out that more than 13 countries are currently utilising India’s UPI framework and that more than 50 countries have expressed interest in implementing the Aadhaar architecture.