In a strategic push to position Visakhapatnam as a global technology and innovation hub, Andhra Pradesh IT & HRD Minister Nara Lokesh met top executives of leading tech companies in the United States to discuss investments in AI, semiconductor, and high-tech manufacturing infrastructure.
Key Meetings and Proposals
- Minister Lokesh met CEO Sundar Pichai, Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, and VP of Global Networking & Infrastructure Bikash Koley in San Francisco.
- Discussions focused on the $15 billion AI data centre project in Visakhapatnam and its implementation timeline.
- Lokesh requested support for: 1 Developing a data centre-server manufacturing ecosystem. 2 Establishing a Drone City with drone assembly, calibration, and testing facilities.
- Pichai confirmed that Visakhapatnam will host Google’s largest FDI outside the U.S., with startup support through Google for Startups Accelerator.
Intel
- Meeting with CTO Shesha Krishnapura focused on: 1 Setting up an Assembling, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP) unit. 2 Establishing an Intel-Amaravati AI Research Centre in partnership with IIIT-Sri City or IIT Tirupati. o Building high-performance computing clusters.
NVIDIA
- Discussion with VP Raj Mirpuri centered on: 1 AI training programs for government officials. 2 Pilot projects with universities and R&D institutions to provide quantum simulators. 3 Collaboration in smart manufacturing industries and deep-tech startup mentorship.
Adobe
- Minister Lokesh requested Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen to consider: 1 Setting up a Global Capability Centre (GCC) or Development Centre in Visakhapatnam. 2 Connecting Andhra Pradesh with U.S. tech giants like Intel, AMD, and Applied Materials for fabless design, R&D, and manufacturing centres.
Zoom
- Lokesh interacted with President Velchamy Sankaralingam and COO Aparna Bawa, requesting: 1 Establishment of a Zoom R&D/Engineering Development Centre in Amaravati or Visakhapatnam. 2 Setting up a GCC and exploring cooperation in other technology initiatives.
Strategic Significance
These discussions highlight Andhra Pradesh’s focus on:
- Establishing Visakhapatnam as a hub for GCCs, AI, and R&D.
- Building a high-tech ecosystem for semiconductor, cloud, and AI infrastructure.
- Encouraging foreign investment and innovation to enhance talent, research, and manufacturing capabilities.
With proposed GCCs and R&D centers, Visakhapatnam is set to become a critical node in India’s global technology and enterprise ecosystem.
Visit Our News section and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter
Read more full news: Here
