India faces a narrowing window to reinvent itself around AI, warns Vishal Sikka

India is facing a narrow opportunity to reposition itself for an artificial intelligence–driven future, according to Vianai CEO Vishal Sikka, who has warned that delays could leave the country reacting to disruption rather than shaping it.

Speaking in an interview with CNBC-TV18, Sikka said the transition from traditional ways of working to AI-led systems must happen quickly, as the pace of technological change has already accelerated beyond prediction. In his view, artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging trend but an active force reshaping software development, business processes and productivity benchmarks.

Sikka cautioned that India cannot afford to rely solely on AI technologies developed elsewhere. Given the country’s scale and economic importance, he argued that India must participate across the full AI value chain, from building core models to creating applications and training large sections of the workforce to use these systems effectively. The focus, he said, should be on creating, scaling and exporting AI capabilities rather than remaining a consumer.

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To illustrate how rapidly AI is altering work structures, Sikka cited an example where a system that previously required a large team and several months to build was recently recreated by a single individual in a matter of weeks using AI tools. According to him, this shift underscores how quickly traditional development timelines are being compressed.

He identified two major challenges for India’s readiness. The first is skills. Only a very small number of people globally are capable of building advanced AI and foundation models today, but Sikka stressed that these capabilities are teachable and can be scaled with focused effort. The second challenge lies in disruption, particularly for India’s software services sector, where AI’s growing ability to write and maintain code could significantly alter existing job roles and business models.

Sikka, who was an early backer and advisor to OpenAI when it operated as a non-profit, said the disruptive potential of AI had been visible for years. However, he also expressed caution about current market enthusiasm, questioning whether present AI-related investments are being matched by sustainable revenue generation.

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While acknowledging concerns around valuations and the possibility of an AI-driven market bubble, Sikka remained optimistic about India’s prospects. He suggested that the country is still early in the race, but emphasised that the window to act is limited and that decisive steps are required now to avoid being left behind.