Budget includes provisions for the creation of AI training programs and skilling initiatives: Dr. Sujata Seshadrinathan
Dr. Sujata Seshadrinathan, Director of IT and Process at Basiz Fund Services
“The Indian Union Budget for 2025-2026, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, 2025, along with the Economic Survey presented on the previous day, has proposed a significant focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation. These clearly reflect India’s strategic direction toward becoming a global leader in AI. Key highlights regarding AI and related initiatives are as below:
AI as a National Priority: The government has highlighted AI as a core focus area. It is a critical component of technological advancement which has been playing a key role in economic progress in India. The focus needed on the job displacement effect of AI, to which India is particularly vulnerable in the low skills and low value-add workforce, has also been highlighted.
AI Research, Skill Development and Training: The budget includes provisions for the creation of AI training programs and skilling initiatives. The aim is to upskill the workforce in AI through the whole spectrum of skills from foundational to highly specialized ones, to meet the growing demand for AI-related roles. Three Centres of Excellence(CEO) in artificial intelligence for agriculture, health and sustainable cities had been announced in 2023. This has now been fructified with a Centre of Excellence (COE) in artificial intelligence being set up with a total outlay of ₹500 crore.
Public-Private Collaboration: The necessary upskilling as well as adoption efforts would definitely need collaborations between academia, industry, and government. This will be critical for AI research and as well as to create regulatory frameworks that will encourage innovation and ensure ethical AI use.”
About Dr. Sujata Seshadrinathan
Dr. Sujata Seshadrinathan is the Director of IT and Process at Basiz Fund Services and an astute investor with over two decades of experience in the IT/ITES sector. She has played a pivotal role in shaping Basiz as India’s only global fund administrator and the first to operate in GIFT City. Under her leadership, the company also launched Tripura’s first fund administration operation center in collaboration with the state government, fostering visibility and employment in the North East.
An advocate for technological innovation, Dr. Sujata has been instrumental in integrating blockchain into fund administration. She recently presented at the “Blockchain Revolution: Unlocking Startup Opportunities in India” roundtable at NSE, Mumbai, as part of the G20 Startup 20 engagement forum. Her research on blockchain adoption in accounting, published in The Financial Innovation Journal, offers valuable insights into the evolving regulatory and technological landscape.
With a doctorate in Business Administration from S.P. Jain School of Global Management and multiple patents in commercial and legal tech, Dr. Sujata continues to drive innovation. She was recently honored as Women’s Entrepreneur of the Year for the SAARC region by the President of Sri Lanka and is a member of the Institute of Directors. Through the Sujata and Sesh Foundation, she also engages extensively in social initiatives.