Anand Mahindra's 2026 mantra: 'AI is an accelerator, not a threat; India poised for brain gain'

On global talent mobility, Mahindra pointed to tightening visa regimes and evolving education policies in Western countries as a turning point.

• Anand Mahindra says AI is an enabler, boosting value of practical skills
• He predicts India's talent outflow may reverse, leading to a 'brain gain'
• Mahindra urges strengthening India's education for an AI-driven economy

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Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has said artificial intelligence should be viewed as an enabler rather than a threat, arguing that it can raise the value of practical skills while also triggering a reversal in global talent flows that could benefit India.

In his new year address, Mahindra said that "As AI reshapes industries, many fear disruption." Disagreeing with that view, the industrialist said, "AI is an accelerator, not a threat."

He said the growing adoption of intelligent systems would shift the nature of work, making hands-on skills combined with digital capabilities increasingly valuable. According to Mahindra, technology-driven productivity gains would elevate traditionally manual roles and narrow the divide between blue- and white-collar work.

"We will rediscover the value of people who can build, craft, repair and operate the real machinery of life," he said, adding that "when technology amplifies skilled hands, those hands can become as rewarding - if not more rewarding - than traditional white-collar work."

On global talent mobility, Mahindra pointed to tightening visa regimes and evolving education policies in Western countries as a turning point. He said the long-standing outflow of talent from India could begin to reverse.

"As the education policies in the West evolve and visa norms tighten, the traditional 'brain drain' could give way to a remarkable 'brain gain' for India," Mahindra said.

He described this phase as an opportunity for India to reposition itself in the global economy, moving beyond support functions to higher-value innovation and knowledge roles. Citing the expansion of Global Capability Centres in India, Mahindra said international confidence in the country's innovation ecosystem is already evident.

"The world has already signalled its trust. Now, we must provide the institutional backbone to support it," he said.

Mahindra also stressed the importance of strengthening India's higher education ecosystem to capitalise on these shifts. He said building globally competitive institutions would be critical to preparing talent for an AI-driven economy.

Reflecting on the broader environment, Mahindra said uncertainty driven by technological change and geopolitical shifts should be viewed as an opportunity to strengthen capabilities and pursue new growth paths.