India is not the first to adopt AI, but will become the best: Peak XV’s Rajan Anandan
Speaking at TechSparks 2025, Peak XV’s Rajan Anandan said AI startups will need a 10-15-year horizon to replicate the growth story of digital payments startups.
India may not be the first to adopt AI, but when the country gets going it will become the best, said Rajan Anandan, Managing Director at Peak XV & Surge.
He was speaking at TechSparks 2025, Bengaluru, YourStory's flagship tech-startup conference.
Referring to the comparatively nascent AI ecosystem in the country, he said, “In India, we are never the first. We are never the second, usually we are the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth. But when we get going, we are the best."
Anandan, during a fireside chat with YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma, said, “It takes a decade to grow."
Drawing a parallel with the growth of digital payment startups, he said about 10 years ago the country was not even in the list of top 100 nations in digital payments. Today, India holds the top position in digital payments, in terms of volume.
AI startups being set up today will need a 10-15-year horizon to replicate the growth trajectory of digital payments startups, he added.
Anandan also pointed out that India is the only country in the world where startups have come up in every sector, ranging from consumer brands, healthcare, and financial services to gaming, travel, and more. “I would challenge anybody to find me a sector in India where there are no entrepreneurs," he said.
Edited by Swetha Kannan