Rajat Khare Urges India to Stop Brain Drain and Lead Global AI

Author : Garry Rhodes | Published On : 24 May 2026

India is standing at a unique moment in the global tech shift. The world is entering the age of artificial intelligence, and India, with its vast pool of engineers and data scientists, has all the right assets to lead. But one chronic problem continues to hold the country back: brain drain.

Roughly 15% of the world’s AI talent is attributed to India, but much of it is working abroad. “This abundance is not serving India’s technological interests as it ideally should” says Rajat Khare a venture capitalist and the founder of Boundary Holding, a Luxembourg-based Investment firm.

Each year, thousands of skilled Indian tech professionals leave the country in search of better research opportunities, higher pay, and global exposure. It is crucial to reverse this trend for achieving India's AI ambitions, advocating for stronger industry-academia collaboration and investment in deep-tech startups to retain top talent.

Rajat Khare points out this disconnect needs urgent repair: “India’s tech talent pool is one of its most significant assets, but more and more talent is leaving for better returns.” He advocates for stronger industry-academia collaboration and a deeper commitment to funding AI research and startups.