Nasscom announces ‘AI Code Sarathi’ to upskill 150,000 Indian developers

To address the widening capability gap within the developer workforce, Nasscom has announced the launch of AI Code Sarathi, a national enablement initiative designed to upskill and mobilize 150,000 developers across corporate, start-up, and academic sectors.

The initiative is built on the understanding that software development is undergoing a structural shift where developers no longer start from a blank slate or debug in isolation. Rather than simply learning new tools, the program focuses on using AI with intent to reduce time-to-market, treating AI as a teammate across the entire Software Development Life Cycle.

Speaking at the launch, Ankit Bose, Head of AI, Nasscom, said “AI Code Sarathi is not just a skilling initiative; it is a national mission to help India move from AI exploration to AI execution at scale. By empowering developers to build faster, innovate smarter, and deploy with confidence, we are laying the groundwork for India’s rise as an AI-native innovation powerhouse.”

The program is implemented through a structured pathway consisting of three distinct phases: Explore, Engineer, and Excel. The first phase, Explore, begins in March and April with a focus on hands-on AI-assisted coding tools and workflows. This is delivered through the Nasscom AI-Assisted Developer Workshop, a free, four-hour program available in both in-person and virtual formats where participants work with code-completion tools and real industry exercises alongside experts.

The Engineer phase follows from April to June, providing high-touch technical capability building through guided learning and mentorship. The journey concludes with the Excel phase, featuring a national Agentic AI Hackathon. This hackathon allows developers to apply their learning to two specific, real-world industry problem statements focused on autonomous workflows and intelligent agents. This structured format ensures that developers build credible, portfolio-ready experience while validating their systems against actual business needs. A prize money of ₹10 lakhs will be given away to the deserving winners.

Aligned with the IndiaAI Mission and the vision for Viksit Bharat 2047, the program aims to shift India’s developer ecosystem from curiosity to practical deployment. Successful participants will receive blockchain-backed Nasscom certificates and contribute real code via GitHub, with top innovations recognized at the AI Confluence in July 2026.