New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted the pivotal role of India's youth in driving the nation's artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. He emphasized the importance of the country's vibrant tech ecosystem and the talent of its young people in advancing AI that is both human-centric and responsible.

PM Modi's statements came during a meeting with Dario Amodei, CEO and Co-founder of Anthropic, a leading AI safety and research company. Anthropic is planning to expand its operations in India and will open its first office in Bengaluru by early 2026. This strategic move aims to leverage the city's thriving tech ecosystem and tap into India's vast pool of skilled professionals.

The Prime Minister welcomed Anthropic's expansion, expressing confidence that the partnership would further strengthen India's AI capabilities across key sectors such as education, healthcare, and agriculture. Anthropic intends to focus on responsible AI applications within these key sectors, while also enhancing the Indic language capabilities of its AI tools like Claude to support major languages such as Hindi, Bengali, and Marathi.

"India's vibrant tech ecosystem and talented youth are driving AI innovation that is human-centric and responsible," PM Modi stated in a post on X. "We welcome Anthropic's expansion and look forward to working together to harness AI for growth across key sectors".

Amodei also reflected on the meeting, noting that India's deployment of AI across critical sectors for over a billion people will be essential in shaping the future of AI. He added that Anthropic is looking forward to collaborating with organizations in India to pave the path for scaling beneficial AI in a way that serves everyone.

The expansion comes as Indian enterprises and startups increasingly seek AI models. Anthropic's flagship product, Claude, is a large language model with millions of users globally. India ranks as the second-largest consumer market for Claude, only behind the United States. The usage of Claude Code in India has increased fivefold since June.

In alignment with this vision, the Prime Minister has urged young minds to harness AI and Machine Learning (ML) to drive innovation and boost economic growth, positioning India as a global leader in the digital era. He underscored the need to integrate AI into every facet of life.

Businesses are also expected to play a vital role by investing in AI-driven research, fostering innovation, and ensuring inclusive access to technology, thus contributing to both their growth and India's global standing. Initiatives like skilling programs and partnerships with tech giants are crucial for enabling youth to stay ahead in the AI revolution.