Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a one-stop hub for all data centre needs, IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh has said.

“We are not just building data centres, but the entire ecosystem,” Mr. Lokesh said after laying the foundation stone for the manufacturing unit of Carrier Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Limited, the Indian arm of Carrier Global Corporation, in the Sri City of Tirupati district on Wednesday.

The proposed plant in Sri City will be the firm’s first plant in South India. The upcoming facility in 39 acres will manufacture high-end chillers, significantly expand supply chains, and leverage proximity to five ports to enhance export capabilities.

Scheduled to commence operations by the end of 2027, the plant is expected to generate 3,000 direct and indirect jobs. It will incorporate green manufacturing practices and cater to the growing demand for energy-efficient cooling solutions.

“Andhra Pradesh will lead the global race for data centres and Artificial Intelligence,” Mr. Lokesh said.

The data centres require advanced cooling systems, high-efficiency chillers, power electronics and precision manufacturing, making it essential to build a strong supporting ecosystem.

Welcoming Carrier Global for choosing Sri City as part of this broader vision, Mr. Lokesh called it a step towards strengthening the State’s digital and industrial growth.

The IT Minister highlighted that the future belonged to ecosystems and cluster-based development, pointing to the emergence of Space city, data centre hub, AC manufacturing cluster, glass cluster, renewable energy cluster among the 22 emerging clusters in the State.

All stakeholders contributing to the end product– from gas and components to full-scale manufacturing— will be involved in vertical integration. At the same time, he highlighted the importance of horizontal integration, especially in terms of human resources, with a focus on skilling, testing and certification.

He emphasised that with strong policy support and focus on speed and scale, Andhra Pradesh would emerge as a global hub for next‑generation manufacturing and digital infrastructure.

‘Naipunyam’ initiative

Mr. Lokesh also announced the launch of ‘Naipunyam’, a conversational AI-powered skill assessment platform, aimed at making the youth job-ready and inviting industry collaboration.

He appealed to industry partners to be part of Andhra Pradesh’s growth story, stating that tightly integrated clusters would be key to manufacturing success.

Carrier’s global leadership, including David L. Gitlin, Michael L. Gierges, and Sundaresan Narayanan, Sri City Chairman Srini Raju and Managing Director Ravindra Sannareddy were present.

Minister for Revenue Anagani Satya Prasad, Collector S. Venkateswar and Superintendent of Police L. Subbarayudu also took part in the event.