StartupTalky

Tag: Andhra Pradesh

  • Google’s Andhra Investment a ‘Historic Loss’ for Karnataka, Says JD(S)

    The ruling Congress government in Karnataka has come under fire from opposition parties after Andhra Pradesh and Google inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on October 14 to build a top-notch AI data centre in Visakhapatnam. More than one lakh jobs are anticipated to be created by the $15 billion project, which is Google’s biggest investment outside of the US.

    Dr K Sudhakar, a former health minister and Chikkaballapura MP, stated on X that Andhra gains when Karnataka loses! Once the go-to place for multinational tech companies, Bengaluru and Karnataka are losing ground as a result of the Congress government’s indifference, haughtiness, and policy gridlock. Karnataka watches as jobs and opportunity shift to other places, while Andhra draws top-tier investments. Karnataka’s youth demand improved confidence, clarity, and governance.

    Political Players Calling it End of Tech Era for Bangalore

    Arvind Bellad, the deputy leader of the opposition, also blasted the current administration for all of the opportunities that were lost. “Bengaluru, which was once the Silicon Capital, is losing investors because of policy paralysis and arrogance,” he said. Instead of encouraging growth, ministers harm businesses. Karnataka’s economic narrative has been transformed into a governance catastrophe by the government.

    DK Shivakumar, the deputy chief minister, stated that he does not wish to respond to Andhra minister Nara Lokesh or anybody else. Bengaluru and Karnataka are unmatched. Bengaluru offers everything, from human resources and infrastructure to startups and innovation. There are about 25 lakh employees, including 2 lakh foreigners. The Centre receives 39–40% of its revenue from Bengaluru.

    Shivakumar added further that every day, he gets calls from leaders all over the world, and we talk about their needs. Many international businesses that previously operated out of rented offices are increasingly establishing campuses of their own. That is Bengaluru’s might. It is unmatched by any state in the nation.

    Janta Dal Calling it a ‘Big Blow’ to Karnataka

    The loss of Google’s AI project was referred to as a “major blow” to Karnataka by the Janata Dal (Secular), which cited missing investment possibilities and insufficient infrastructure. “The state loses the Google AI hub to Andhra Pradesh,” the party wrote in a tweet. Due to carelessness, Karnataka loses a project worth INR 1.3 lakh crore.

    A significant initiative that Karnataka missed out on: Google signs an MOU with Andhra Pradesh to establish #AIHub in Visakhapatnam, pledging INR 10,000 crore annually and 30,000 jobs. If a business-friendly atmosphere isn’t guaranteed, entrepreneurs might depart.

    Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge expressed doubts about the sustainability of Andhra Pradesh’s incentives, which included subsidised land and water bills, free transmission, 100% GST reimbursement, and subsidies of INR 22,000 crore. “The ‘Global Investors Summit’ would not have drawn INR 10 lakh crore in investments this year if IT companies were leaving Karnataka,” said Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara.

    Quick
    Shots

    •Google inks $15 billion MoU with
    Andhra Pradesh to set up a world-class AI data centre in Visakhapatnam.

    •The project is expected to create
    over 1 lakh jobs, marking Google’s largest investment outside the US.

    •JD(S) and BJP leaders call it a
    “historic loss” and “major blow” for Karnataka.

    •Criticism mounts on Karnataka’s
    Congress government over policy paralysis and investor flight.

  • Google to Invest $15 Billion in Mega Data Center Cluster in Visakhapatnam

    According to reports, Google intends to invest $15 billion, or around INR 88,774.2 crore, to construct a data centre cluster with a 1 GW capacity spread across three campuses in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. According to sources cited by ET, the cluster will have three data centre campuses with high-capacity underwater cables, specialised cable landing stations, and a vast network of metro fibre and telecommunications lines.

    The data centres will be a key component of India’s aspirations to become a global powerhouse for digital and artificial intelligence infrastructure, and they are anticipated to be operational by July 2028. On October 14, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh is scheduled to conclude the deal with Google executives. The State Investment Promotion Board, which is led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, will sanction the project today, the newspaper also stated.

    Google’s Visakhapatnam’s Data Centre Cluster to be Asia’s Largest Centre

    According to reports, Visakhapatnam’s data centre cluster would be the biggest in Asia. Alphabet was reportedly on track to invest $6 billion in Andhra Pradesh to construct a 1 GW data centre and related power infrastructure in July. “We’ve made certain announcements like Sify (a 550 MW data centre to be built in the state), which are public,” Lokesh told Reuters at the time. Some announcements are not yet available to the general public. We will make such announcements in October.

    This occurs at a time when the need for data centres is increasing due to the rapid adoption of AI and the growing prevalence of smartphones. The data centre industry in India is expected to increase from $4.5 billion in 2023 to $9.3 billion by 2027 and over $11.6 billion by 2032, making it one of the largest markets in terms of smartphone usage and AI adoption.

    OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, is also seeking to establish a data centre in India with a minimum capacity of 1 GW, while Reliance is constructing a data centre in Jamnagar. After Sam Altman’s trip to India, the new facility would be finalised, which would be a significant step forward for “Startgate” in Asia.

    Quick Shots

    •Google to invest $10 billion (INR 88,774.2 crore)
    to build a mega 1 GW data centre cluster in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

    •The cluster will comprise three campuses with
    underwater cables, cable landing stations, and metro fibre networks.

    •Project expected to be operational by July 2028.

    •Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh to finalise
    the deal with Google executives on October 14.

    •State Investment Promotion Board, chaired by CM N.
    Chandrababu Naidu, to approve the project today.

    •The Visakhapatnam cluster will be Asia’s largest
    data centre.

  • Accenture Plans New Andhra Pradesh Campus, Aims to Create 12,000 Jobs Amid H-1B Visa Uncertainty

    According to sources cited by Reuters, the tech consulting business Accenture has revealed plans to open a new campus in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Over time, the company hopes to add some 12,000 new jobs to its Indian workforce. Moreover, over 300,000 of Accenture’s 790,000 employees are based in India, making it the country with the largest workforce in the world.

    This comes as US President Donald Trump changed the rules, charging a $100,000 charge for new H-1B visas, which tech businesses use to hire qualified foreign workers.

    Accenture Submitted Proposal to the State Government

    The state government has received a proposal from Accenture asking for about 10 acres of property in the port city of Visakhapatnam on comparable terms, according to Reuters. The Andhra Pradesh government is eager to welcome Accenture, and while permissions may take some time, the application is likely to be approved, according to a state official.

    The report also stated that Accenture’s request is fair and that the plan will be implemented. The amount Accenture intends to invest in building the campus is yet unknown, though.

    Accenture Building on TCS and Congnizant Line

    The company’s action follows similar deals made by IT firms Tata Consultancy Services and Cognisant, who are utilising a new state policy that offers leased property to big businesses that are dedicated to job creation for just 0.99 rupees ($0.0112) per acre.

    Under the new policy, TCS and Cognisant were able to get land leases to open campuses in Visakhapatnam, which might result in the creation of almost 20,000 jobs. According to the article, TCS has set aside a little more than $154 million for its campus, while Cognisant intends to invest $183 million.

    The technology corporations are also progressively venturing into smaller Indian locations in order to capitalise on lower land, rent, and wage expenses. In contrast to the previous pattern of workers migrating to big tech hubs, many organisations are finding it easier to hire talent locally in Tier-2 cities in the post-pandemic scenario.

    Accenture Training 7 Lakh Employees on AI

    According to a Bloomberg article, Accenture Plc is educating its more than 7,000 personnel in agentic artificial intelligence in an effort to satisfy the increasing demand from clients in this area.

     “Every new wave of technology has a time when you have to train and retool,” said Julie Sweet, the CEO of Accenture, in an interview with Bloomberg Television. The ability to execute that at scale is Accenture’s primary skill.

    Quick
    Shots

    •Accenture has submitted a proposal
    for 10 acres of land to the state government, which is expected to approve
    it.

    •Over 300,000 of Accenture’s 790,000
    employees are already based in India — its largest workforce globally.

    •Expansion follows TCS and Cognizant,
    who secured leased land under a new state policy promoting job creation.

    •TCS and Cognizant plan to invest
    $154M and $183M respectively in their Visakhapatnam campuses, creating around
    20,000 jobs.

  • Andhra Chief Minister Naidu Said the State is Working to Establish “Quantum Valley”

    N. Chandrababu Naidu, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, stated on 10 March that the government is forming a task force and attempting to establish a “Quantum Valley” in the state in order to gain a competitive edge in this revolutionary field. The chief minister stated that he wants Andhra Pradesh to take the lead in quantum technology development, pointing out that it will bring about revolutionary breakthroughs in a number of fields. In keeping with the National Quantum Mission, Naidu wrote on X that the state government is forming a task force and developing a strategy to establish a world-class quantum computing powerhouse in Andhra Pradesh known as the “Quantum Valley.”

    Joining Hands with IIT Madras, TCS and IBM

    In order to realise this goal of being a centre for computing, the Andhra state is working with IIT Madras, TCS, and IBM to become a national centre for quantum computing research, drawing in top talent and international investments. In order to achieve this goal, a crucial meeting was convened on 10 March, attended by IBM Quantum India head Venkat Subramaniam, L&T chairman and MD SN Subrahmanyan, Abhay Karandikar from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and others. The CM later stated that deep technology and quantum computing ought to arrive in the state during a book launch in Vijayawada. According to the chief minister, he met with a number of businesses and players, including TCS, L&T, IIT Madras, IBM, and the Government of India’s DST, to discuss potential opportunities in these areas.

    According to the TDP chief, quantum computing and deep technology are the way of the future. Among other things, he forced the stakeholders and representatives of the companies that met with him recently to sit down and discuss how to employ those technologies in Amaravati.

    National Quantum Mission

    The National Quantum Mission (NQM), which will cost INR 6003.65 crore and run from 2023–2024 to 2030–2031 and aims to seed, foster, and scale up scientific and industry R&D as well as establish a dynamic and inventive ecosystem in Quantum Technology (QT), was authorised by the Union Cabinet on April 19, 2023. This would foster the nation’s ecosystem, boost QT-led economic growth, and position India as a pioneer in the development of quantum technologies and applications (QTA). Developing intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50–1000 physical qubits in 8 years using a variety of platforms, such as superconducting and photonic technologies, is one of the mission’s goals. Long-distance secure quantum communications with other nations, intercity quantum key distribution over 2000 km, multi-node secure quantum communications, and satellite-based secure quantum communications between ground stations within India. Among the mission’s deliverables are quantum networks with quantum memories.

    The development of very sensitive magnetometers in atomic systems and atomic clocks for accurate time, communications, and navigation will be the main goals of the National Quantum Mission. For the creation of quantum devices, it will also aid in the design and synthesis of quantum materials, including superconductors, innovative semiconductor architectures, and topological materials. Quantum communications, sensing, and metrological applications will also see the development of single-photon sources/detectors and entangled photon sources.

  • Telecom Departments in Andhra and Maharashtra Penalise Airtel for Violating Norms

    The telecom departments of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have fined telecom major Bharti Airtel around INR 8 lakh. Bharti Airtel stated in an exchange filing on February 20 that it has been fined INR 6.59 lakh by the Andhra Pradesh telecom department for allegedly violating subscriber verification standards. The business added that Maharashtra authorities had fined it INR 1.37 lakh for allegedly breaking the rules governing electromagnetic field (EMF) self-certification. The filing explained the cause for the Andhra Pradesh telecom department’s penalty and the alleged infringement of terms and conditions with regard to subscriber verification criteria under the License Agreement, as per the Sample CAF Audit carried out by DoT for December 2024. However, the business clarified that the “maximum financial impact” of the two fines is only as much as the penalty that was assessed. The penalty warnings were sent to Airtel on February 20.

    ICIL Selling its Stakes in Bharti Telecom

    The aforementioned development follows the company’s announcement that Indian Continent Investment Limited (ICIL), a promoter-group business, had sold 5.11 Cr shares, or 0.84% of Bharti Airtel, in a market transaction valued at INR 8,485.11 Cr. In a subsequent exchange statement, the business stated that this deal comes after Bharti Telecom recently purchased an extra ~1.2% (~7.31 Cr. shares) in Airtel from ICIL in November 2024. This strengthens Bharti Telecom’s previously declared intention to become the primary vehicle to hold a controlling stake in Airtel, as it now owns approximately 40.47% of the company. Notably, Airtel and Vodafone Idea agreed to buy out all of their shares in Firefly Networks, their joint venture, to iBus Network and Infrastructure last month.

    Financial Dynamics of Airtel

    In the meantime, Airtel declared a net profit of INR 14,781 Cr for the third quarter (Q3) of the fiscal year 2024–25 (FY25), which is 505% more than the INR 2,442 Cr it reported for the same period last year. Additionally, the company’s sales increased by 19% from INR 37,900 Cr in Q3 FY24 to INR 45,129 Cr in the fiscal year under review. During the quarter, the telco’s average revenue per user (ARPU) was INR 245, compared to INR 208 in the third quarter of FY24. Additionally, the business teamed up with Bajaj Finance last month to provide their clients with digital financial services.

    According to a media report, of the 37 analysts that follow the company, thirty have a “buy” rating on the stock, three recommend a “hold,” and two recommend a “sell.” An upside of 13.2% is shown by the average price estimate of analysts over the last 12 months.

    SEBI Plans to Boost Angel Fund Investor Participation
    SEBI aims to increase the number of angel fund investors in India, enhancing startup funding and boosting early-stage investment opportunities.
    StartupTalkyNitin Konde

  • Andhra Pradesh and PhysicsWallah Collaborate to Create a Deep-Tech, Artificial Intelligence-Focused University of Innovation

    In order to create the University of Innovation (UoI), which aims to be the first Institute of Eminence (IoE) in the state, the Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP) and PhysicsWallah (PW), an EdTech business, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU).

    According to a statement released on December 21, this initiative aligns with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s vision of educating the state’s youth in artificial intelligence (AI), emerging technologies, new age skills, and entrepreneurship. This will help Andhra Pradesh become a hub for education.

    University will Focus on Blending Academic Excellence, Innovation, and Research

    The goal of the University of Innovation is to combine research, innovation, and excellence in education. Addressing important issues in education and employability is another primary objective. A hub-and-spoke strategy would be used for the effort, with satellite centres located around Andhra Pradesh functioning as spokes and the University as the primary hub. This strategy aims to give students from various geographic locations and backgrounds access to modern, hybrid education that blends online and in-person learning opportunities. PW is working with industry partners like Amazon Web Services to offer education that is relevant to the industry in an effort to maintain the curriculum in line with the market.

    The goal of this collaboration, according to Nara Lokesh, Minister for Human Resources Development in the Andhra Pradesh government, is to promote innovation and give the state’s young skills that meet industry standards and demands. It is admirable that the University of Innovation has the goal to become an Institute of Eminence by fusing cutting-edge technology and education to pave the road for progress and development. The state government is certain that this project will solidify the state’s standing as a pioneer in knowledge generation and talent development.

    Alakh Pandey, the founder and CEO of PhysicsWallah (PW), expressed his opinions on the partnership by saying that PhysicsWallah values education. Its establishment of the University of Innovation in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh government is a step in that direction. In order to establish an institution that blends academic learning with industry relevance, the brand has committed to investing up to INR 1000 crores from GSV Ventures in the US and other investors. In an effort to promote entrepreneurship and innovation, the UoI will assist students with the skills they may require in a labour market that is continuously changing.

    Further Details Revealed Through a Joint Statement

    According to a joint statement, GoAP and PW’s unified perspective is reflected in the creation of the University of Innovation. To guarantee individualised learning experiences for every student, the university will also try to use technology, such as AI-driven tools and adaptive learning platforms. This collaboration is an attempt to help the young people develop talents that are relevant to the industry, which will help them develop the abilities they require.

    PhysicsWallah Goes Public Ahead of Its 2025 IPO Plans
    PhysicsWallah becomes a public company as it prepares for its 2025 IPO, marking a significant milestone for the EdTech unicorn. Learn more.
    StartupTalkyNitin Konde