Naidu Projects Vizag as Global IT Hub
Visakhapatnam showcased as global IT hub in CM Naidu’s address to India–Europe roundtable
Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu projected Andhra Pradesh as India’s gateway for global investors and positioned Visakhapatnam as a future global IT hub during the India–Europe Business Partnership Roundtable, held as part of the CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
Describing Visakhapatnam as a “beautiful, green, and safe city,” Naidu said it was rapidly emerging as a preferred destination for technology and innovation. He highlighted Google’s plans to set up an artificial intelligence data centre with a $15,000 USD investment, supported by subsea cable connectivity to Singapore, calling it a major milestone in the city’s transformation into an international tech hub.
The Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh had streamlined its business processes to ensure faster clearances, citing examples of Premier Energy and Reliance Industries — the latter obtaining approvals to set up the world’s second-largest brewery within a month.
He announced plans to establish a drone city catering to both civilian and defence sectors, along with a space city to promote private participation in space technology. Naidu emphasised that Andhra Pradesh aims to contribute 160 GW to India’s national target of 500 GW of green energy, strengthening its position as a hub for solar, wind, and pumped storage power.
The Chief Minister also outlined initiatives in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, data centres, aerospace, and drone technology. He revealed plans to create a Quantum Valley in Amaravati under the Government of India’s new quantum computing policy, expressing confidence that a quantum computer would be developed within two years.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing a stable government that inspires investor confidence, Naidu assured that Andhra Pradesh would assign escort officers to assist global partners in setting up industries.
Earlier, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee lauded Naidu’s visionary leadership and commitment to economic growth. The roundtable was attended by Gevorg Papoyan, Armenia’s Minister of Economy; R. Mukundan, President Designate of CII and MD & CEO of Tata Chemicals; Clemence Kopeikin, Chief Impact Officer, FyrstGen Holding, Switzerland; Prof. Bertram Lohmuller, Export-Akademie Baden-Württemberg, Germany; and Amit Kalyani, Chairman of the CII Europe Council and Vice-Chairman of Bharat Forge Ltd.