Visakhapatnam, Mar 12 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday invited tech major Capgemini to establish an IT development centre and a GCC here with the potential to create 20,000 jobs.
Lokesh met Aiman Ezzat, chief executive, Capgemini in the port city and held discussions on potential investments and expansion opportunities in the state.
“Inviting Capgemini to expand its presence. The minister (Lokesh) urged the company to establish an IT development centre and a Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Visakhapatnam with the potential to generate around 20,000 jobs,” an official release said.
He encouraged Capgemini to set up service centres for cloud services and Business Process Management (BPM) verticals.
Further, Lokesh invited the company to partner with universities in Andhra Pradesh as a co-development partner to establish emerging technology labs focusing on Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, digital development and digital talent pipeline creation.
He also requested the company to set up a dedicated quantum vertical and collaborate with global technology partners to support enterprise customers in areas such as optimization, financial services and sustainability.
Similarly, he invited Capgemini to contribute to the development of the proposed Quantum Valley initiative in Andhra Pradesh.
Responding to Lokesh’s requests, Ezzat said Capgemini, which employs 3.4 lakh people globally and two lakh people in India, will examine the proposals made by the Andhra Pradesh government.
Lokesh informed Capgemini executives that Visakhapatnam is rapidly emerging as a major IT and data centre hub with work on Google data centre set to begin soon in the port city.
Further, he noted that the Bhogapuram International Airport is expected to be inaugurated within three months, strengthening the city’s connectivity and investment potential.
Later, in a separate event in Nellore district, Lokesh laid the foundation stone for the “country’s first” Autonomous Maritime Shipyard and Systems Development Centre at Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Bogolu mandal.
The facility will be developed by Sagar Defence Engineering Private Limited with support from the state government, marking a key step towards strengthening India’s indigenous defence manufacturing and maritime technological capabilities.
The company will invest Rs 45 crore in the first phase of the project, which is expected to generate employment for more than 1,000 people.
For the project, the government has allotted 29.58 acres of land on lease at the fishing harbour, including 7.58 acres of waterfront area.
Commercial operations are expected to commence by November 2026. The overall project will be developed across 200 acres in phases.
The facility will focus on shipbuilding, autonomous systems development, marine engineering, research and development, creating employment opportunities for youth in advanced maritime technologies.
The project is expected to strengthen the blue economy and maritime innovation ecosystem while positioning Andhra Pradesh as a hub for maritime robotics and autonomous shipbuilding, the release added. PTI STH MS SA
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.