India@2047: How Blockchain and AI Are Powering India’s Startup Future

The air inside the hall at the Binance Blockchain Yatra crackled with energy. Entrepreneurs, students, and industry insiders had gathered to hear how Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are shaping India’s march toward Viksit Bharat 2047.

The session, “India@2047 — Blockchain, AI Innovation, and Entrepreneurship,” was not a dry panel discussion. It was a candid conversation about the mindset, infrastructure, and talent India needs to lead the world in emerging technologies.

Moderated by Kushal Manupati, Regional Growth & Ops Lead, South Asia at Binance, the panel featured Apoorv Sharma, Executive in Residence at GIFT International Fintech Innovation Hub, and Sweta Tiwari, Program Lead – India at Plug and Play & Program Lead at GIFT IFIH.

From Taboo to Rocket Fuel

“I’ve seen the time when I had to convince parents to let their children pursue startups,” recalled Apoorv Sharma, leaning into the microphone. “Today, entrepreneurship is a respected career choice. It’s rocket — and it’s happening across the spectrum.”

The audience nodded. Sharma’s words cut through the noise of jargon often associated with technology. His point was clear: entrepreneurship in Indiahas shifted from taboo to trend, and technologies like Blockchain and AI are making it easier than ever for anyone — from school students to senior professionals — to build startups.

Web3 Grows Up

Sweta Tiwari carried the baton forward. She reminded the audience that Web3, once written off as a playground for gamers and miners, is now making serious strides.

“Earlier, the focus was on gaming or mining. Now we are seeing vertical, serious solutions in fintech and tokenization,” she said.

Her message was pointed at investors as much as entrepreneurs. “The real shift is toward IP-driven businesses,” she added, highlighting how ecosystems like GIFT City and institutions such as IIITs are nurturing research and advanced innovation.

The Infrastructure Gap

Sharma didn’t shy away from pointing out the gaps. India, he argued, must build both physical infrastructure — more GPUs, data centers, capital-intensive facilities — and research infrastructure that can keep pace with global innovation.

“Why not tokenize GPUs to crowdsource computing resources?” he asked, throwing a provocative idea into the room. The concept of tokenizing access to computing power drew murmurs of curiosity.

He shared how universities are slowly adapting, with optional courses in AI and Blockchain. “Technology changes so fast that what you learn in your first year of college may be obsolete by the fourth,” he warned.

Students, however, are already experimenting. Sharma cited an example where young developers built a blockchain-based system to stop loan document fraud — a billion-dollar problem solved with campus ingenuity.

The Mindset Challenge

Why hasn’t India yet produced a global AI or Web3 giant?

Tiwari didn’t mince words. “We need to start building with a global outlook. Whatever is created in India must match global standards,” she said.

She insisted that skilling is not confined to classrooms. “It happens in incubators, in offices, even at dining tables. Exposure matters. Programs like Plug and Play are providing it, but we need to scale this mindset nationwide.”

Toward Viksit Bharat 2047

As the session drew to a close, moderator Kushal Manupati framed the discussion in the larger context of India’s ambitions.

“These conversations aren’t just about today,” he said. “They’re building the foundation for India’s leadership in AI and Blockchain well before 2047.”

The hall buzzed with sideline conversations long after the panel wrapped up. For many, the message was clear: Blockchain’s transparency and AI’s intelligence are not just technologies. Together, they are India’s twin engines for entrepreneurship, innovation, and global leadership.

With GIFT City positioning itself as a fintech hub, universities nurturing problem-solvers, and startups hungry to scale, India’s vision for Viksit Bharat 2047 is no longer a distant dream.

It is already taking shape in places like Ahmedabad.