Mohandas Pai suggests that Bengaluru is more similar to San Francisco than it is to Delhi.

Mohan Das Pai, former CFO and Board Member of Infosys, highlighted the growing technological alliance between India and the United States, positioning them as key players in the global digital arena. Speaking at Cypher 2024, India’s largest AI conference hosted by AIM Media House, Pai explained that while China remains isolated by its digital firewall, India and the U.S. are becoming more interconnected. 

Pai stated that the world’s three major digital powers are the U.S., China, and India, but China’s restrictive digital policies limit its global engagement, leaving India and the U.S. to dominate. He emphasized the strong collaboration between their tech industries, comparing Bangalore’s ties to San Francisco as closer than to Delhi due to the shared technological understanding. He noted that Bangalore has the world’s largest talent pool of chip designers and embedded software professionals, but requires more capital and competitive power.

Despite political differences, Pai said that the U.S. and India are “joined at the hip” in technology, which would drive both forward as global digital forces. He contrasted Delhi's approach to AI, calling it unfamiliar compared to San Francisco, and criticized the Indian government for its insufficient investment in AI. Pai urged the government to increase AI funding, arguing that the current allocation of ₹3,000 to ₹4,000 crores is minimal compared to the country’s total budget. He suggested that the government invest ₹50,000 crores to foster innovation and support AI startups. Pai also pointed out that India is the third-largest digital power globally, with a significant Indian presence in the U.S. tech workforce.