Key Points
- Virtusa COO says responsible AI adoption requires strong data governance and secure architecture
- Enterprises face data quality and model governance challenges in scaling AI pilots
- IndiaAI Mission approved in March 2024 with ₹10,372 crore outlay over five years
India’s next phase of technology adoption will depend on how responsibly companies build and scale artificial intelligence, data platforms and digital systems, Virtusa Corporation Chief Operating Officer Venkatesan Vijayaraghavan said ahead of National Technology Day 2026.
National Technology Day is observed on May 11 every year to mark India’s technological milestones, including the Pokhran nuclear tests conducted on May 11, 1998, according to the Department of Science and Technology.
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This year’s discussions around the day come at a time when Indian enterprises are moving from AI pilots to wider deployment across sectors such as banking, healthcare, telecom, retail, manufacturing and public services.
“Responsible innovation calls for strong data foundations, secure architecture and clear governance so that systems are reliable and trusted at scale,” Vijayaraghavan said.
He said inclusive growth would depend on whether these systems are designed for “widespread, everyday use across industries and user segments”.
This view also aligned with fact that the companies are also trying to convert AI investments into measurable business outcomes while addressing concerns around data protection, cybersecurity, transparency and operational resilience.
The Union Cabinet approved the IndiaAI Mission in March 2024 with an outlay of ₹10,371.92 crore over five years, positioning it around the objective of “Making AI in India and Making AI Work for India”.
Enterprise AI moves from pilots to deployment
This policy push has increased attention on enterprise AI adoption, but companies continue to face practical challenges around data quality, model governance, security controls and integration with existing systems.
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Vijayaraghavan said India’s digital infrastructure and enterprise technology adoption were advancing rapidly, making governance and reliability important for large-scale deployment.
“At Virtusa, we focus on operationalising AI and platform-led models with this discipline, leveraging platforms such as Virtusa Helio to enable organisations to deliver consistent, measurable outcomes while building technology that performs reliably across enterprise environments,” he said.
Helio is company’s own generative AI services platform which covers use-case prioritisation, solution development, production deployment and adoption.
For large enterprises, the difficult part of AI adoption is often not experimentation but production use. Many organisations have tested generative AI in areas such as software engineering, customer service, knowledge management and analytics. Wider deployment, however, requires controls around data access, privacy, accuracy, auditability and security.
Governance has therefore become a central part of technology planning. India enacted the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 to govern the processing of digital personal data and set obligations for entities handling such data.
The regulatory backdrop means enterprises need to account for how data is collected, processed, stored, secured and used in automated systems. This is particularly important in sectors that handle sensitive customer, financial or operational data.
For technology services companies, the opportunity now lies in helping enterprises move AI projects from pilots to production while keeping systems secure, measurable and compliant.
Vijayaraghavan said responsible innovation and inclusive growth would depend on this balance between adoption, governance and reliability.
Your Questions, Answered
What does Virtusa’s COO say about AI adoption in India?
Venkatesan Vijayaraghavan says Indian enterprises must prioritise data governance, secure architecture and clear controls over adoption speed when scaling AI from pilots to production.
What is the IndiaAI Mission budget?
The Union Cabinet approved the IndiaAI Mission in March 2024 with an outlay of ₹10,371.92 crore over five years to develop domestic AI capabilities.
How does the DPDP Act affect enterprise AI deployment?
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 requires enterprises to account for how data is collected, processed, stored, secured and used in automated systems, adding compliance requirements for AI deployments.
What challenges do enterprises face when scaling AI?
Companies face practical challenges including data quality issues, model governance gaps, security control weaknesses and difficulties integrating AI with existing enterprise systems.