India emerges as key growth market for Autodesk
Autodesk also sees market opportunity beyond the top metros in the country as tier 2 and beyond locations have emerged as new growth spots
Design and engineering software company Autodesk sees India as one of its most significant growth markets, driven by the country's ambitious infrastructure pipeline, manufacturing expansion and the rapid emergence of a creator economy beyond the country's metropolitan centres.
In an interaction with EnterpriseStory, Kamolika Gupta Peres, Vice President, Autodesk India and SAARC, said the company, which has been present in India for more than three decades, is witnessing demand from across the country as businesses increasingly adopt digital design tools across architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing and media.
"India has been a part of Autodesk's journey for over 30 years. Nearly every engineer graduates with exposure to Autodesk tools, particularly AutoCAD, making us an integral part of India's engineering ecosystem," she said.
According to Peres, India's long-term economic priorities present a sizeable opportunity for Autodesk. She pointed out that nearly 70% of the infrastructure required to achieve the country's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision is yet to be built, while the government's goal of raising manufacturing's contribution to GDP to 25% by 2035 is expected to fuel demand for advanced design and engineering software. The growing focus on animation and digital content creation is opening another avenue for growth in the media and entertainment segment.
Beyond large enterprises, Autodesk is also seeing increasing adoption among startups and small businesses from Tier-II and Tier-III cities. Peres said India has nurtured a new generation of creators who are building engineering, design and manufacturing businesses that serve global customers, reflecting the democratisation of technology across the country.
To make its products more accessible, Autodesk has expanded its online store and introduced flexible licensing options through its Flex offering, allowing customers to purchase software based on evolving business requirements. The company believes affordability and flexibility are critical to accelerating digital adoption among small and medium businesses.
Autodesk is also investing heavily in skill development by providing its software free of cost to educational institutions, a move Peres described as a social mission aimed at preparing India's future workforce rather than a commercial initiative.
Artificial intelligence is emerging as another key pillar of Autodesk's India strategy. The company has embedded nearly 70 AI models into its design platform, enabling engineers, architects and designers to automate repetitive tasks, generate design options and improve accuracy without changing existing workflows. Autodesk has also connected its AI capabilities with large language models through a Model Context Protocol server, allowing users to interact with design models using natural language.
Peres said the goal is to help customers execute projects faster, with greater precision and efficiency, as India accelerates its digital transformation.