en.Wedoany.com Reported - A senior executive of India's Vedanta Group stated that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure, data center investments, industrial connectivity, and cloud computing is reshaping the country's industrial competitiveness, with digital infrastructure becoming a key growth driver.
Akarsh Hebbar, Chairman and Group President of V-Spark DeepTech Ventures, a subsidiary of Vedanta Group, said in an interview with ETElectronicsWorld that AI systems are highly dependent on data and computing, making digital infrastructure now crucial for industrial growth. Mumbai-based Vedanta Group is a mining and metals multinational led by billionaire Anil Agarwal.
Hebbar noted that as India strengthens its digital infrastructure, industries will be able to deploy predictive maintenance, digital twins, AI-driven process optimization, autonomous operations, smart energy management, and connected manufacturing systems at scale. The conglomerate also owns Sterlite Technologies, which manufactures optical fiber cables (OFC) in India. In July 2023, the company terminated its $19.5 billion joint venture with Taiwan's Foxconn, the world's largest electronics contract manufacturer, to manufacture semiconductors in Gujarat.
Hebbar stated that the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" vision will depend on how effectively industries collaborate with deep-tech startups to build world-class capabilities in AI, automation, robotics, and industrial intelligence. He added that the greater shift lies in industrial competitiveness being increasingly defined by operational intelligence, with digital infrastructure no longer separate from industrial infrastructure but becoming the foundational layer of modern industrial growth itself.
According to Hebbar, Vedanta is expanding the integration of AI-led control centers, digital dashboards, industrial data platforms, and advanced analytics systems to enhance enterprise-wide visibility, operational agility, and resource efficiency. The company aims not only to adopt industrial technology faster but also to help build globally competitive industrial technology from India for the world.
The domestic company is building partnerships among industrial enterprises, startups, research ecosystems, and technology partners. Through V-Spark, Vedanta plans to collaborate with over 1,000 startups to accelerate innovation in AI, sustainability, and manufacturing. Hebbar said V-Spark DeepTech Ventures has established a collaborative ecosystem that brings together startups, deep-tech innovators, global technology companies, academia, and its operational teams to solve large-scale industrial challenges in mining, metals, manufacturing, energy, and sustainability.
In September 2025, Vedanta launched V-Spark DeepTech Ventures, a dedicated corporate venture capital platform and innovation unit aimed at accelerating the deployment of AI, automation, and deep tech across its businesses. Hebbar added that V-Spark expects to unlock an additional $400 million in commercial value over the next three years through large-scale AI-led transformation initiatives across operations.
In July 2023, the central government of India launched the National Deep-Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP), providing a dedicated regulatory and financial framework for high-risk, research-driven startups in areas such as AI, semiconductors, and space technology.
