Databricks India Growth Outpaces Global Rate on Rising Enterprise AI Demand

Data and AI firm Databricks is recording 100% year-on-year growth in India during its second quarter, surpassing its global growth rate of 80%, according to India Country Manager Kamalkanth Tummala. The company recently surpassed a $7 billion revenue run-rate globally.

The growth comes amid rising interest from Indian enterprises and digital-native businesses that are seeking greater control over organisational data, model choices, and artificial intelligence spending. Tummala noted that the growing adoption of both frontier AI models and open-source alternatives is prompting companies to re-evaluate how they deploy AI as new models emerge regularly.

"We are addressing what it means for an enterprise, which is the most cost-effective model for them, how they can control what information within the organization is being shared, and how they can give the context of their organization to each of these models," Tummala said.

Organisations are also managing challenges related to the proliferation of AI agents and significant variations in deployment costs. Tummala pointed out that prompt costs can differ substantially across models, with potential price increases of up to 10 times when moving from one model to another.

In the Indian market, Databricks is focusing on large conglomerates, the country's top 50 enterprises, and digital-native businesses, alongside a dedicated startup support programme. Tummala stated that digital-native firms typically adopt new technologies faster due to technology-led operating models and fewer legacy systems, while traditional enterprises often take longer to evaluate changes due to established processes and behavioral adjustments.

Despite longer evaluation cycles for traditional businesses, Databricks is also seeing traction on the enterprise side. Tummala attributed India's rapid technology adoption to widespread smartphone adoption, high digital engagement, and a young, AI-first demographic where every interaction generates data.

To support its expansion, Databricks has grown its India workforce to nearly 1,000 employees with hiring across functions, including go-to-market teams. The company maintains offices in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi, with approximately 100 open positions remaining in its engineering team.

"Databricks' strong growth in India highlights the rapid acceleration of enterprise AI adoption across the region. As Indian businesses and digital-native firms increasingly evaluate cost-effective models and data control, technology providers scaling their local talent and operations are well-positioned to capture this demand. The ability to navigate legacy systems in traditional enterprises while supporting fast-moving digital businesses will be key to sustaining this momentum." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes