AI, Electronics & Semiconductors, and Railways to Power India’s Next Phase of Transformation: Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, outlined India’s transformative infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology journey at the Inaugural Session of the CII Annual Business Summit 2026, highlighting the country’s accelerated progress under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and calling upon citizens and Industry alike to contribute towards building a resilient and self-reliant India.
Against the backdrop of global geopolitical uncertainty and continuing conflicts, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Prime Minister’s clarion call to the nation carries even greater significance today. Highlighting India’s large energy import dependence and the importance of foreign currency reserves for economic resilience, he noted that despite global turbulence, India has managed the situation effectively through well-thought-through policies and decisive execution under the Prime Minister’s leadership. He urged citizens to contribute by reducing expenditure that leads to foreign exchange outflow while simultaneously increasing efforts to earn foreign exchange and strengthen reserves.
The Minister outlined three major pillars driving India’s transformation — Railways, Electronics & Semiconductors, and Artificial Intelligence.
Highlighting the unprecedented scale of transformation in the Railways sector, Shri Vaishnaw said railway capital expenditure has increased from approximately INR 66,000 crore a few years ago to nearly INR 2,72,000 crore in the last financial year. He noted that the execution capability of the entire railway ecosystem has expanded simultaneously, reflecting a major cultural transformation in project implementation and delivery. He further stated that nearly 49,000 kilometres of railway tracks have been electrified, equivalent to the entire railway network of Germany. Production of wagons and locomotives has also increased significantly.
The Minister also announced the completion of the Dedicated Freight Corridor project on 5 April, despite multiple implementation challenges. The Dedicated Freight Corridor is currently enabling the movement of nearly 480 trains per day, while reducing transit time between the hinterland and ports from 48 hours to nearly 12–16 hours.
He also elaborated on the transformative impact of upcoming high-speed rail corridors, explaining how cities connected through these corridors would increasingly function as integrated economic zones.
Shri Vaishnaw emphasised that India’s focus remains firmly on quality, cost competitiveness, and process efficiency — all critical pillars in the journey towards a Viksit Bharat.
On India’s electronics and semiconductor journey, Shri Vaishnaw highlighted a major structural shift in the country’s export profile. He noted that smartphones emerged as India’s largest exported commodity last year, overtaking traditional export leaders such as diesel, gems and jewellery, textiles, and engineered goods. As part of the progress under the Make in India mission, India also exported electronic components worth nearly INR 30,000 crore to neighbouring countries.
The Minister said a new wave of electronics manufacturing facilities across the country is fostering quality-focused and lean manufacturing practices, laying the foundation for a technologically advanced and self-reliant India.
Calling Artificial Intelligence one of the most transformative technological revolutions in history, Shri Vaishnaw said AI is reshaping the world at an unprecedented pace. He stressed that India must adopt a clear and strategic approach towards AI, ensuring that the country becomes a beneficiary of the technology by leveraging it to improve productivity, quality, and production efficiency across sectors.
Shri Vaishnaw highlighted the government’s focus on strengthening data centre infrastructure, stating that India possesses the capacity, capability, and institutional strength required to harness AI for national growth. He added that the tax exemptions announced in the Union Budget would further accelerate investments and adoption in this sector.
The Minister also underlined the urgent need for large-scale skilling and talent development to fully capture the AI opportunity. He urged industry bodies such as the Confederation of Indian Industry to take a leadership role in preparing the workforce with the right capabilities and future-ready skills.
Addressing the summit, Mr Rajiv Memani, President, CII, said “the foundational infrastructure for the next 50 years is being laid right now. For manufacturers, it means a semiconductor and electronics ecosystem at their doorstep; for logistics and supply chain leaders, it means freight corridors and an electrified rail network that will permanently lower the cost of doing business; for technology companies, it means sovereign compute, indigenous models, and a 5G backbone that is the envy of the world; and for the creative and media industry, it means that India is finally being recognised as a global content and IP powerhouse.”
Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII gave the opening remarks.