Google picks Hyderabad to establish Safety Engineering Centre

Hyderabad: Google has chosen Hyderabad to establish its Safety Engineering Centre (GSEC) which is expected to help establish Hyderabad as a global capital for creating cyber security and safety engineering offerings for the world.

The GSEC in Hyderabad would be the first-of-its-kind in the APAC region, after Tokyo, and only the fifth in the world, with similar facilities in Dublin, Munich and Malaga.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy revealed on the social platform ‘X’ that he along with Industries and IT minister D. Sridhar Babu closed a major cutting-edge technology investment partnership with Google.

The Chief Minister and IT Minister met a global team from Google headed by Royal Hansen, CIO, Google.

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According to an official release, this GSEC is a specialised international cybersecurity hub that will play a vital role in developing advanced security and online safety products for the Indian context. The centre will focus on cutting-edge research, AI-driven security solutions, and creating a collaborative platform for leading experts and researchers in cybersecurity. It also aims to foster skill development, boost employment, and enhance cybersecurity capabilities in India

Google, which has its largest employee base in Hyderabad, is currently building its largest office in the world outside of its headquarters here.

The GSEC was initially announced on October 3, 2024, at the Google for India 2024 Conclave, leading to a feisty competition between states to bag this investment.

The Telangana Government played a crucial role in actively pursuing and ensuring that this state-of-the-art facility would be set up in Hyderabad during the Chief Minister’s visit to Google Headquarters in the U.S., showcasing the state’s dedication to becoming a leader in technology, innovation and cybersecurity.

“Telangana has always been at the forefront of digital skill development. Hyderabad has been the epicentre of IT/ITES development globally. Our city is already home to five of the most valuable tech companies in the world—Alphabet (Google), Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and (Facebook) Meta. Now, with this partnership, I hope we can rapidly solve the global problems of cyber security from Hyderabad,” the Chief Minister said.

The establishment of GSEC in Hyderabad will be transformative for the city and the state, bringing in best-in-class safety engineers, local policy experts, and collaboration with academic institutions and government partners to address the unique challenges of cybersecurity in India. It will contribute to enhancing the digital safety of businesses, government institutions and citizens, besides leading to the creation of thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities.

“We are super excited that Google is establishing the GSEC in Hyderabad, a city that is wonderfully positioned to become the global capital and hub for safety engineering, including cyber and digital security. Hyderabad, with this partnership, can become a global centre for this huge area and cater to the needs of the world in security. The common alignment of vision of excellence between Google and CM Revanth Reddy to making Hyderabad a global centre promises scope for more partnerships ahead,” said Royal Hansen, CIO, Google.

Telangana’s partnership with Google aligns with its broader vision of creating a thriving technological ecosystem that supports research, training, and innovation in ICT. As part of this ongoing digital transformation, the Telangana Fiber (T-Fiber) initiative intends to connect 47+ lakh rural homes, and this partnership with Google will ensure the digital safety of these homes through the integration of secure Android TV/ Smart TV systems. GSEC’s collaboration will further strengthen these efforts, providing a secure and connected future for Telangana’s citizens.

Google is in discussions to establish a major Cloud Centre of Excellence (Google C-CoE) in Hyderabad, with cutting-edge competencies

The company will also explore an agreement to partner with the Telangana government to set up India’s first Google-powered Intelligent Traffic Management System. This will harness the power of Google Maps, AI, Live Camera Stream data management, and real-time traffic signalling management, among others

Google is also exploring ways to power Hyderabad Future City to develop one of the Globally Smartest Cities. It is exploring ways to partner massively in education to enhance the entire school education system.

Google and the Telangana government will explore partnerships in the startup ecosystem, including establishing a Google Startup Hub.

The company will also explore programs to support Young India Skills University by harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security skills and competencies.