Hyderabad to host India’s first Google Safety Engineering Centre

| Updated: 05 December, 2024 12:44 pm IST

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu recently met with a Google delegation in Hyderabad. The team included Royal Hansen, CIO; Arijit Sarkar, VP of Global Google Tech, Hyderabad; Sreenivasa Reddy, Managing Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google India; Mangla Seshadri, Senior Director and Head of Global Cybersecurity, and Apurva Chamaria, Head of Startups for Google. | (Photo: @TelanganaCMO)

NEW DELHI: In a significant development, the Telangana government has signed a strategic agreement with Google to establish India’s first Google Safety Engineering Centre (GSEC) in Hyderabad. The announcement was made in the presence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and State IT Minister D Sridhar Babu at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

According to an official statement from the Chief Minister’s office, the GSEC in Hyderabad will be the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region, following the centres in Tokyo, and only the fifth globally with other facilities located in Dublin, Munich, and Malaga. The GSEC is set to become a specialized international cybersecurity hub which will focus on the development of advanced security and online safety products tailored for the Indian context.

The GSEC will engage in cutting-edge research and AI-driven security solutions, fostering a collaborative platform for leading experts and researchers in the field of cybersecurity. The centre aims to enhance skill development, boost employment, and strengthen cybersecurity capabilities in India.

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Google has its largest employee base in Hyderabad and is constructing its biggest office outside of its global headquarters in the city. The decision to set up the GSEC in Hyderabad was initially announced on October 3 at the ‘Google for India 2024 Conclave’, sparking competition among states to secure this prestigious investment.

Expressing pride in this achievement, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy stated, “We are very proud that Google has chosen Hyderabad for setting up the GSEC. This partnership is a testament to Hyderabad’s standing as a leading IT and innovation hub in the country and the world.”

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The announcement ceremony was attended by a global team from Google, including CIO Royal Hansen, Arijit Sarkar (VP Global Google Tech, Hyderabad), Sreenivasa Reddy (Managing Director, Govt Affairs and Public Policy, Google India), Mangla Seshadri (Sr Director and Head – Global Cybersecurity), and Apurva Chamaria (Head of Startups for Google).

This collaboration is poised to position Hyderabad at the forefront of global cybersecurity advancements, further solidifying its reputation as a premier IT and innovation hub.