New Delhi [India], March 17: As India’s digital economy expands and businesses increasingly rely on scalable cloud infrastructure, homegrown platforms are stepping up to address local needs around cost, compliance, and performance. CloudPe, a cloud infrastructure platform powered by Leapswitch Networks, is focused on delivering cost-efficient, scalable, and India-first cloud solutions tailored for startups, SMEs, and enterprises. In this interaction, Ishan Talathi, CEO & Founder of CloudPe, shares insights on cloud economics, AI infrastructure, and the evolving role of domestic cloud providers.
- What market gap did you identify in India’s cloud ecosystem that led to the launch of CloudPe, and how are you differentiating from global hyperscalers?
Ishan- India needed a cloud built for its economics and regulations, not adapted from global models. CloudPeis designed for predictable pricing, local data residency, and workload efficiency—while hyperscalers optimise for global scale, we optimise for Indian business realities. - For startups and SMEs struggling with cloud bills, what are the most common mistakes in cloud architecture and cost planning that you see today?
Ishan- Overprovisioning, poor workload sizing, and ignoring cost visibility tools are the biggest issues. Many teams treat the cloud like a data center instead of designing for elasticity and usage-based scaling. - With increasing demand for AI and GPU workloads, how is CloudPe enabling affordable, high-performance compute for India’s growing AI ecosystem?
Ishan- We focus on right-sized GPU infrastructure, workload-aware scheduling, and local hosting to cut latency and cross-border data costs. This allows AI teams to access high performance without hyperscaler-level pricing. - How do you approach cloud economics—balancing performance, scalability, and cost optimisation—for businesses at different stages of growth?
Ishan- Early-stage companies need simplicity and low entry cost; scaling companies need automation and predictability; enterprises need efficiency at volume. Our model adapts infrastructure policies based on workload maturity, not company size alone. - Data sovereignty and security are becoming critical in India’s digital economy. How is CloudPe addressing compliance, reliability, and trust for enterprise customers?
Ishan- We keep data within India, align with local regulatory frameworks, and build security into the infrastructure layer. Trust comes from transparent operations, uptime consistency, and clear ownership of customer data. - As India accelerates its digital transformation journey, what role do you see homegrown cloud platforms like CloudPe playing in shaping a more self-reliant and innovation-driven infrastructure ecosystem?
Ishan- Homegrown clouds will reduce dependency on foreign platforms, enable local innovation, and keep digital value within the country. They will become the backbone for India’s next wave of startups, AI companies, and digital public infrastructure.
— Ishan Talathi, CEO & Founder, CloudPe
