A US-based entrepreneur’s musings after spending three months in India have gone viral on X (formally twitter), offering an outside view of how the country’s digital infrastructure, startup energy and tech adoption are evolving faster than many in the West realize.

In the post, HackerRank co-founder and CEO Vivek Ravisankar said “daily life here is ahead of the US in ways I didn’t expect,” pointing to seamless digital payments, fast grocery delivery and a pragmatic embrace of artificial intelligence as key differentiators shaping India’s current tech landscape.

Default UPI, no interruption

At the top of the list was India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), described as a system that “just works” in different contexts, from street vendors to self-driving cars, without the card friction, app fragmentation or settlement delays common in other markets.

The observation underscores how India has outgrown legacy payments infrastructure, making instant bank-to-bank transfers an everyday utility rather than a fintech novelty.

Fast-paced commerce reshaping urban convenience

The publication also highlighted India’s fast-paced commerce model, where groceries typically arrive in about 10 minutes. Experience, the author noted, recalibrates expectations, making the 30-45 minute delivery windows in the U.S. feel slow by comparison.

India’s dense urban clusters and hyperlocal fulfillment networks have allowed this model to take off quickly, positioning the country as a real-world laboratory for last-mile logistics innovation.

Adoption of AI driven by use cases

Contrasting attitudes towards artificial intelligence formed another key theme. While conversations in Silicon Valley often focus on long-term risks and regulation, the author observed that in India, students, creators and companies are already integrating AI tools into everyday workflows.

“The conversation is ‘how to accept it’ versus ‘should you be worried,'” the post noted, framing India’s AI story as one of applied utility rather than philosophical debate.

Building a home AI stack

The writer also noted the emergence of a homegrown AI ecosystem, citing startups developing core models tailored to India’s languages ​​and use cases, along with early-stage investors backing native AI companies.

Rather than simply adopting global technologies, the publication argued, India is assembling its own technology stack aligned with local scale and complexity.

From local champions to global ambitions

Another change identified was both psychological and economic. Where Indian startups once focused on domestic success, many now aim to build global companies based in India, reflecting growing confidence in talent, capital and market readiness.

Rise of global capacity centers

The proliferation of Global Capacity Centers (GCCs) further illustrates this transition. Once seen primarily as offshore support centers, these centers increasingly handle core engineering and R&D functions for multinational companies, integrating India deeper into global innovation pipelines.

The growth trajectory overcomes the structural gaps

The publication acknowledged persistent challenges – uneven infrastructure and regulatory complexity – but argued that the direction of India’s journey matters more than its current state.

Expressing a “very optimistic” view, the author suggested that stronger US-India collaboration could be mutually beneficial as supply chains, talent networks and emerging technologies become more interconnected.