Nov 06: India has ranked 11th out of 56 Commonwealth countries in a major new study of youth AI readiness, which identifies a potential US$79 billion boost to its economy after ten years – the second-largest economic opportunity of any country in the Commonwealth.
The Ayre Index, launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, scores India 60.6 out of 100, well above the study’s readiness benchmark of 53. Only 15 Commonwealth countries meet or exceed that threshold, while 41 fall below it.
India’s position carries particular significance because of its scale. The study estimates that approximately 382 million Indians are aged 15 to 29, more than half of the 732 million young people across the Commonwealth.
Research by the Ayre Think Tank, founded by Antiguan-Canadian philanthropist Calvin Ayre, also reveals considerable enthusiasm for AI among young Indians. In a survey examined by researchers, 88.8% expected to use the technology for education or work within the following year, while 60.1% expressed confidence in their ability to control their interactions with it.
India also has substantial digital infrastructure, including widespread 4G coverage and comparatively inexpensive mobile data under the Index’s selected measures. Yet only 66.5% of young people were found to own a mobile phone, showing how national coverage does not necessarily mean that every young person has the device or reliable access needed to participate.
The largest challenge may lie in translating technological potential into livelihoods. The research records 30.4% of young people outside employment, education or training, while 85.8% of young workers were in informal employment.
The possible economic benefits are considerable. Applying scenarios developed by the International Monetary Fund to India’s economy, the researchers calculate that AI could increase the level of the country’s GDP by US$79.121 billion after ten years under their moderate scenario. The conservative illustration is US$39.561 billion, rising to US$118.682 billion under the optimistic case.
Calvin Ayre, founder of the Ayre Think Tank, said: “I’ve spent my life in businesses where new technology changes everything, and I know you can’t stand still. AI is going to change how we work, how we do business and how wealth is created. But this is not a race that only the biggest or richest countries can win. What matters is giving young people the skills and the chance to get ahead – whether to start businesses, find jobs or build something for themselves. Some Commonwealth countries are ahead, others have catching up to do. Nobody can afford to be complacent. That’s why we created this Index. It shows countries where they stand, what they’re getting right and where they need to do better. Governments now have to decide what they’re going to do about it.”
India is already taking major steps to turn its technological strengths into employment opportunities. In August 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced plans to train ten million young people in AI skills within a year. The following month, the government launched new AI training programmes with Intel India to equip young people with practical skills for the emerging jobs market. These initiatives demonstrate how India is working to turn its enormous enthusiasm for AI into new employment opportunities, stronger businesses and economic growth.
The White Paper identifies five priorities: affordable and reliable access to technology; education that develops practical skills; stronger routes from training into employment and enterprise; AI tools suited to local languages and needs; and safeguards that enable young people to question automated decisions.
It calls on governments, educators and development partners to examine the particular barriers young people face in each country before deciding where investment could make the greatest difference.
Professor C. Justin Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of the University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus, said: “We need to make sure that the next generation will be able to do more than just consume AI products made elsewhere. Access must come with its own agency and a real equitable stake in how these systems are governed. Young people should be equipped to question these new tools, to improve them and to be supported in building alternatives suited to their own needs. Whether that happens, however, will depend on choices made now. This index gives us a clearer view of where those choices are most urgent. We should use it.”