“It Was Literally the First Time Any National Leader Asked Me to Address His Cabinet on AI” – Jensen Huang Praises Narendra Modi’s AI Vision

In a recent conversation, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealed that he was personally invited by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the Cabinet on artificial intelligence (AI), a request he described as the first time any national leader had asked him to speak to a government’s top ministry on this topic. The remark underscores India’s early embrace of AI and sets the tone for the country’s advances in technology and innovation.

Prime Minister Modi’s Early Insight on AI

Huang shared that, during a meeting about six years ago, Modi requested him to present to his Cabinet on AI’s potential in India. He said:

“It was long before anybody was talking about artificial intelligence.”
He added that Modi asked a pointed question: Why should India export data when it could import intelligence? And the answer, shared Huang, was clear, India needed to build its own AI infrastructure, rather than rely on external solutions.

Jensen Huang’s Perspective on India’s Tech Opportunity

Huang noted that in his discussions with Modi, he was impressed by the Prime Minister’s appetite for learning about how technology could reshape society and industry:

“He is such an incredible student … every time I see him, he wants to learn about technology, artificial intelligence, the potential and opportunity for India, the impact on Indian society and industry.”

For Huang, India represents a pivotal moment: a society rich in human talent ready to harness AI infrastructure, and potentially leapfrog into global leadership.

Why This Moment Matters

1. Sign of pioneering leadership: Modi’s invitation to Huang signals that India recognised the strategic importance of AI early, well before many global counterparts.
2. Focus on homegrown capability: By emphasising the creation of indigenous AI infrastructure (“making sense that India should manufacture its own AI rather than export data to import intelligence”), there’s a strong narrative of digital sovereignty.
3. Boost to India’s tech ecosystem: With global players like Nvidia already engaging deeply with India, the message to startups, investors and policymakers is clear, that India is open for AI innovation at scale.
4. Global technology diplomacy: Huang’s remarks reflect a growing trend where world-tech leaders view India as a strategic partner, not just a market, but a co-innovation platform.

What to Watch Going Forward

• AI Infrastructure Plans: How India partners with technology providers (including Nvidia) to build AI chips, data infrastructure, and research ecosystems.
• Policy & Talent: India’s next steps in AI regulation, education, and talent development will test whether its early vision is matched by execution.
• Startup & Industry Impact: The extent to which Indian startups leverage this narrative to attract global investment and build AI products for the world.
• Global Positioning: Whether India can evolve from being a consumer of AI to becoming a producer and exporter of AI technologies.