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BCG to lead India’s AI strategy at AI Impact Summit
The consultancy unveils reports, playbooks, and sector insights shaping India’s AI future
MUMBAI: Artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzzword in India. The focus has shifted from adoption to embedding AI across complex systems, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is taking centre stage at the AI Impact Summit India from 16–20 February in New Delhi.
BCG will steer conversations on scaling AI across key sectors including healthcare, education, agriculture, manufacturing, finance, skilling, and inclusive development. The summit also underlines India’s growing global influence in AI, with Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighting the country’s top-tier position in AI preparedness, talent, and implementation.
BCG will launch two major AI reports, lead strategic sessions, and collaborate with government bodies, industry players, and global experts, reinforcing its commitment to India’s AI growth story.
BCG X India Leader Nipun Kalra commented, “AI is moving from experimentation to real-world impact. Hosting a global forum of this scale is a milestone for India, signalling its intent to lead from vision to execution. At BCG, we are helping design AI strategy playbooks, strengthen governance frameworks, and accelerate adoption across critical sectors.”
BCG India leader technology and digital advantage practice Saibal Chakraborty added, “Countries that learn systematically from peers move faster from strategy to execution. Proven approaches in governance, talent, and infrastructure help avoid pilot fatigue and focus on real impact.”
Key report launches include:
Playbook for national AI strategy and implementation
Created with JICA, this report offers governments a practical blueprint to design and operationalise national AI strategies. It presents a five-pillar framework covering strategy, competitiveness, enablers, infrastructure, and governance, with actionable steps for countries across the global South. The report will be launched during the panel discussion ‘Building Blocks for National AI Strategy and Implementation’ on 20 February.
AI for all: Catalysing jobs, growth, and opportunity
BCG, in partnership with India AI Mission and Prosus, explores how AI is transforming finance, education, agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare. The report focuses on AI-led productivity, intelligent risk management, hyper-personalisation, and operating model redesign. It will be launched on 17 February.
Beyond reports, BCG will contribute to summit discussions and programmes:
- AI skilling: ‘Empowering the Human Edge: Building a Future-Ready Workforce in the Age of AI’ on 16 February, led by Sidharth Madaan, convening global experts.
- Sector-focused AI session: ‘AI for All: Catalysing Jobs, Growth, and Opportunity’ on 17 February, led by Vipin V and Tirtha Chatterjee.
- Healthcare panel: ‘From Volume to Value: Role of AI in Redefining Indian Pharma’s Leadership for Viksit Bharat 2047’ on 18 February, moderated by Priyanka Aggarwal.
- National AI strategy discussion: Panel on ‘Building Blocks for National AI Strategy and Implementation’ with Saibal Chakraborty on 20 February, featuring the launch of the national playbook developed with JICA.
With AI increasingly shaping economies and societies, BCG’s presence at the summit promises to turn insights into action, helping India write the next chapter in its AI journey.
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PNB partners Kiwi to launch credit-enabled UPI for users
Targets 180 million customers; RuPay card offers 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent cashback
MUMBAI: Swipe, tap, or scan credit is quietly slipping into the rhythm of everyday payments, and Punjab National Bank wants in on the action. The state-run lender has partnered with Kiwi to roll out credit-enabled UPI payments for its 180 million customers, marking a significant push to blend traditional banking with India’s fast-evolving digital payments ecosystem.
At the centre of the collaboration is the launch of the PNB Kiwi Credit Card on the RuPay network. The card is designed with a digital-first approach, offering fully online onboarding and seamless integration with UPI, allowing users to transact via scan-and-pay while accessing credit.
The offering also brings in a rewards layer, with cashback ranging from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent on online transactions, positioning the product as both a convenience play and a spending incentive.
The move comes as UPI continues to dominate India’s digital payments landscape, increasingly blurring the lines between debit-led transactions and credit access. For PNB, which operates over 10,000 branches around 60 per cent in semi-urban and rural areas, the partnership signals a targeted effort to extend formal credit to segments that have traditionally remained underserved.
The collaboration also reflects a broader industry shift, where banks and fintech platforms are converging to embed credit directly into payment flows, reducing friction while expanding access.
With RuPay credit cards gaining traction and UPI evolving beyond peer-to-peer transfers, the PNB–Kiwi tie-up positions both players at the intersection of scale, accessibility, and the next phase of digital finance in India.
