Andhra Pradesh’s tech sector, Minister Nara Lokesh has announced plans for a new aviation university and data center in Visakhapatnam during his ongoing US tour. The announcement came during his second day of meetings with American business leaders, highlighting the state’s commitment to technological advancement and decentralized development.
During his visit to San Francisco, Minister Lokesh held crucial talks with Equinix Data Center’s Global MD Kaushik Joshi and Senior Strategic Sales Engineer Robert Allen. The company, which manages an impressive network of over 260 international business exchange data centers worldwide, expressed keen interest in exploring opportunities in Andhra Pradesh.
“Andhra Pradesh offers the most favorable investment climate in India,” Minister Lokesh stated, introducing the state’s new electronics policy. The policy features attractive incentives including power subsidies and stamp duty exemptions, designed to draw major investments to the region.
The state government has unveiled ambitious plans for regional development across various districts. Kurnool is set to be transformed into a Drone Valley, while Chittoor and Kadapa are being positioned as electronics manufacturing hubs. In Prakasam district, plans are underway to establish a cutting-edge bio-fuel ecosystem. The Krishna-Guntur capital region is slated for development projects worth $5 billion.
In the tech sector, several major developments are taking shape. TCS is preparing to launch operations in Visakhapatnam, while construction in Amaravati is scheduled to begin in December. The government has set an ambitious target of creating 2 million jobs over the next five years, with the electronics sector expected to attract investments worth $300 billion.
Nara Lokesh’s packed schedule included meetings with prominent tech industry leaders such as Google CTO Prabhakar Raghavan, General Atomics CEO Dr. Vivek Lal, NeoTribe Ventures Founder Kittu Kolluri, and General Catalysts MD Neeraj Arora. These discussions centered on potential collaborations and investment opportunities in Andhra Pradesh.
Nara Lokesh’s visit also included a warm reception at his San Francisco hotel, where he met with approximately 200 TDP party workers and supporters, demonstrating strong diaspora support for the state’s development initiatives. This engagement with the Indian-American community further strengthens the state’s connections with potential investors and technology partners.
Nara Lokesh’s US tour represent a significant step forward in Andhra Pradesh’s journey toward becoming a major technology and aviation hub in India.
-Sanyogita
