Mumbai will soon become AI capital of India: Devendra Fadnavis

“Our focus will be more on technology. We want to integrate more technology into agriculture. If we want to bring sustainability to agriculture, technology is the solution,” said the CM.

“While Mumbai lost to Bengaluru and Hyderabad in Information Technology, it will become the AI capital of India,” said Fadnavis adding that the role of technology is important to achieve the target of making Maharashtra a trillion-dollar economy.

Talking about cyber crimes, Fadnavis said, “Cyber offenses have become a global phenomenon. It has posed a challenge to countries across world. We have to tackle it with the use of advanced technology…I see we are going to move towards a scenario where street crime accounts for 30 per cent, while 70 per cent will be cyber crime.”

Maharashtra has launched a dedicated cyber security headquarters and an integrated platform linking banks, NBFCs, social media handles, and the entire cyber ecosystem, said Fadnavis who also hold the home department.

Any cyber-related complaint reported on ‘1945’ will activate an immediate response from the team, ensuring action within the crucial hours.

“AI is changing every sphere of our lives. Technology is something that can accelerate our growth,” he said.

According to Fadnavis, Navi Mumbai commands almost 60 per cent of India’s data centre capacity. This has given it a commanding position as a digital stronghold.

The Chief Minister announced the soon-to-be-launched M-Hub, an incubator designed to provide plug-and-play workspaces, which would attract firms once again.

Co-hosted by the Maharashtra government and the Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai (TEAM), Mumbai Tech Week 2025, which began on Friday, will conclude on March 1. It aims to position Mumbai as Asia’s ‘AI Use Case Capital.’ The event will showcase AI’s transformative power across industries, from finance and media to manufacturing sector.

Earlier, while speaking to the media, Fadnavis announced META Whatsapp governance. “Whatsapp is the most effective tool used by everyone even in distant villages. Our government will provide 500 services through Whatsapp,” said Fadnavis.

The state government has rolled out a slew of initiatives, beginning with the collaboration with Mumbai Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai ( TEAM) at the Mumbai Tech Week. It has decided to set up an entrepreneurhip museum. The state government signed an MoU with Meta to integrate AI into governance, said Fadnavis.

TEAM announced the launch of TEAM Angels, a founder-led investment collective where founders pool capital to invest in Mumbai-based startups. It promises capital, mentorship, and access to industry networks to support Mumbai’s most promising early-stage startups through structured funding.

TEAM Angels’ investments will start at Rs 50 lakh and go up to Rs 5-6 crore per startup for an equity stake.

“Along with McKinsey & Company, TEAM launched the ‘MumbaiAI 2035’ roadmap. Mumbai will have over 100 unicorns by 2035, with more than 80 per cent of these startups being profitable and having raised $140 billion,” said Fadnavis.