The rise of the agentic enterprise: How India is scaling the next peak of AI

As the global dialogue shifts from experimental AI to functional execution, India is emerging as one of the leading laboratories for the rise of agentic enterprise. Moving beyond simple chatbots, Indian companies are now deploying autonomous digital systems capable of reasoning, decision-making and taking independent action. This new face of digital transformation is much more than just a technical upgrade. It represents a fundamental shift in how businesses operate, scale and deliver value in a mobile-first economy.

The latest episode of Mint's All About AI, saw Abhishek Singh, Deputy Editor at LiveMint, in conversation with top leaders from Salesforce including Arsenio Otero, EVP and COO of Global Sales at Salesforce, Mankiran Chowhan, SVP and Managing Director, Salesforce India and Deepu Chacko, VP, Solution Engineering, Salesforce India, to discuss why India’s unique digital infrastructure and massive numbers make it a fertile ground for this new-age transformation as we see it unfold at an accelerated pace.

Watch the full episode below,

The future is now

For global organisations, the transition to an agentic model is now a reality. The era where digital transformation was defined by slow-moving migrations to the cloud or the implementation of mobile apps is being replaced by a much faster cycle.

“I was going to tell you that agentic enterprises are the future way that we are going to work. But, it’s no longer the future. The future is now. This is now a total reality and we are going to probably be the last generation that are only going to work with humans,” Otero said.

He further added that the speed of this change is way faster than the original digital era of the internet and mobile. “The speed that we are seeing in the agentic enterprise is 10 times faster because now it is humans and agents working together and doing things of value. We are going to be probably the last generation that are only going to work with humans,” he said.

According to Otero, an agentic enterprise offers three primary benefits – higher growth, increased productivity for everyone within the ecosystem and a customer experience that operates at an entirely different level. This shift means that digital agents are now integrated into the day-to-day flows of data and processes.

India as a fertile ground for AI

While the world watches, India is leveraging its robust public digital infrastructure comprised of revolutions like Aadhaar, DigiLocker, and DigiYatra to leapfrog traditional development cycles. Chowhan noted that the consumerisation of technology in India has prepared the market for enterprise-grade adoption at a rapid pace. The fact that Indian consumers are already leveraging AI in their personal lives creates a tailwind for businesses looking to implement these tools at scale.

“From an India perspective, all the public digital infrastructure we have, whether it’s Aadhaar and DigiLocker, sets a great foundation for us to build on. We have the advantage of government policies that really help promote it, putting us in a very good position for what’s ahead for India,” she said.

Chowhan also spoke about the strategic importance of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and innovation hubs within the country. These centres are no longer just back-office support. They are the driving global AI strategies and are focussed on bringing Indian talent to the front burner of innovation at the global level.

The economics of scale and data

One of the biggest strengths for India remains the unique advantage of scale due to the sheer numbers we have. Chacko highlighted that the sheer volume of transactions generated by India’s population allows for more precise model tuning. Because India skipped the laptop generation and went directly to mobile, the amount of behavioural and engagement data available remains unmatched.

“Scale is something India has always known; billions of transactions mean your model is a lot more fine-tuned for the needs of the country rather than a generic LLM. The cost economics here are so amazing that customers are able to experiment a lot better and see results a lot faster,” he said.

Chacko further added that this environment allows for rapid iteration. In a space where technology is changing weekly, the ability to iterate quickly and maintain cost control is a competitive advantage that few other markets can match. This has led to a shift where customers are moving away from generic, prompt-based AI toward integrated platforms that offer the ability to audit and explain.

The new boardroom mandate

The conversation in Indian boardrooms has matured significantly over the last nine months. What started as an educational phase, with Salesforce reps explaining what an AI agent is, it has evolved into a strategic discussion about partnership and speed. For an organisation aspiring to be “agentic first”, there are several non-negotiable pillars that must be addressed to move from a Proof of Concept (POC) to a production-ready environment.

The first of these pillars is the concept of data with context. In the agentic era, raw data alone is not enough. It must be golden data that exists within the specific flow of a business process to provide actual value. This is closely followed by the absolute necessity of security and trust. In a B2B environment, businesses cannot afford a ‘black box’ approach. They require a clear audit trail to understand why an agent took a specific action, ensuring that every automated decision is explainable and compliant with regulatory standards.

Furthermore, the human element cannot be ignored. Change management is fundamental to this transition, as employees must learn to collaborate with “digital persons” as peers. This requires managing all the internal stakeholders, whether it is the early adopters who embrace the technology to laggards who may be skeptical of its impact. Success in this area is what separates organisations that merely deploy technology from those that truly transform their culture.

Finally, the most significant shift is the focus on measurable Return on Investment (ROI). Unlike previous technological waves where calculating the exact value-add was often an academic exercise, agentic AI allows for direct tracking. Because the technology takes specific actions with measurable outputs, businesses can finally put concrete dollar amounts on their tech investments. As Indian enterprises move into their next budgeting cycles, AI is no longer an experiment happening on the sidelines. It is now a core component of the technology budget aimed at securing long-term competitive advantage.

Looking ahead

The future of AI in India also looks toward greater inclusivity through linguistic diversity. Chacko expressed particular excitement about the evolution of voice-based agents in Indian languages, which could bridge the gap for millions of users in a culturally diverse nation. Chowhan added that for a young nation like India, AI serves as an equaliser, allowing newcomers to start with the collective experience and skills of a seasoned professional through AI assistance.

As the pilot era ends, the focus has moved toward full-scale execution. The foundations have been laid, the infrastructure is in place, and the economic incentive is clear. For India, the agentic era isn't just a trend but the next phase of its digital identity.

Note to Readers: All About AI is a Mint editorial initiative, sponsored by Salesforce.