While there is considerable scope for deepening cooperation between Andhra Pradesh and Germany in areas such as technology, agriculture, and infrastructure, both sides should also explore new frontiers in higher education, vocational training, and workforce mobility. Strengthening these linkages would not only help Andhra Pradesh build a globally skilled workforce but also address Germany’s demand for qualified professionals.
In recent years, Andhra Pradesh (AP) has emerged as a key player in India’s digital growth story, leveraging its strong governance and investment-friendly ecosystem to attract major global tech firms. Building on its legacy of IT leadership under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the state is now positioning Visakhapatnam (Vizag) as the next major hub for innovation, particularly in artificial intelligence and advanced technology sectors.
Andhra Pradesh (AP) has been proactive in attracting investment in the IT sector. Recently, Google announced that it would be setting up an Artificial Intelligence (AI) centre at Vishakhapatnam (Vizag). Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, while commenting on the setting up of this facility, said:”…This hub combines gigawatt-scale compute capacity, a new international subsea gateway, and large-scale energy infrastructure. Through it, we will bring our industry-leading technology to enterprises and users in India, accelerating AI innovation and driving growth across the country.”
Pichai also highlighted that the AI centre in Vizag will be Google’s largest facility outside the United States. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that this project is important and is in sync with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat.
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Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, during his earlier tenure as CM of erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh (AP), was credited with transforming Hyderabad – then capital of Andhra Pradesh and now of Telangana- into a global IT hub. Naidu personally reached out to the top CEO’s of IT firms, including Bill Gates, then CEO of Microsoft. His son Nara Lokesh, currently HRD and IT Minister of Andhra Pradesh, has also been proactive in engaging with domestic and foreign investors – especially in the IT sector.
Naidu, throughout his political career, has been instrumental in strengthening Andhra Pradesh’s global outreach, particularly with the United States, the UAE and countries in East and South-East Asia. His government has also sought to enhance collaboration with Germany, given the growing synergies between the southern Indian state and the European nation.
Increasing linkages between AP and Germany
Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ( MSME), Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and NRI Relations, Kondapalli Srinivas, had visited Frankfurt during his Europe tour in October 2025. During his visit, he met with top CEO’s as well as members of the Frankfurt Chamber of Commerce. The minister invited the Chamber to establish an Andhra Pradesh Chapter in Vijayawada to facilitate joint ventures and business exchanges. He also proposed the idea of setting up a German Tech Hub in Visakhapatnam, aimed at fostering greater technology collaboration between the two regions.
In October 2025, the German Ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, visited Andhra Pradesh. While commenting on AP’s potential, he said:‘..It’s a powerhouse of India, and it’s important to know what’s going on in Andhra. I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen and what I’ve felt so far. I think it’s an extremely exciting state, full of dynamics, ideas and great plans. We had a wonderful discussion with the CM…’
Apart from cooperation in areas like infrastructure and agriculture, he also highlighted synergies in education and skill development. Some of the specific areas for cooperation, which were flagged by Ackermann in an interview, were: setting up of German language teaching centres and skilling initiatives.
It is pertinent to point out that the Centre for Educational Development of Andhra Pradesh (CEDAP), along with Indo Euro Synchronisation, German Healthcare, and Society for Employment Generation and Enterprise Development in Andhra Pradesh (SEEDAP), is offering free training in foreign languages and placement. The state government has set a target of 50,000 overseas jobs over the next five years for individuals from the state through SEEDAP. The German government is also providing training to caregivers and nurses for employment in Germany.
Germany as a destination for students and professionals from AP
In recent months, Philipp Ackermann has spoken about how Germany could become a preferred destination for Indian students as well as professionals. The year 2024-2025 witnessed a significant rise in the number of Indian students going to Germany for higher studies. Countries in the Anglosphere – especially the United States – are no longer the automatic choice for Indian students. The main reason for this is that student visa policies have become increasingly unpredictable.
More students from Andhra Pradesh are now showing interest in Germany (students from AP and Telangana account for a significant percentage of the Indian student community in the US, and professionals from these two states have benefitted immensely from the H1B Visa). Recently, the US clarified that the hike in H-1B fees does not apply to those already within the US, including current H-1 B holders as well as those on student visas. However, Indian students and professionals are still likely to explore alternatives, given the uncertainty around the Trump Administration’s policies, which have also sought to limit the number of international students.
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In recent years, Germany has also been actively seeking to attract more professionals to fill critical shortages, especially in the IT sector. In 2025, the European nation had a shortage of over 100,000 skilled positions. While the categories of the EU blue card have been expanded, Germany’s opportunity card now enables professionals without a job to stay for upto 12 months in the country to search for employment.
The AP State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) is already providing training to individuals with diplomas in disciplines such as Mechatronics, Electrical or Energy systems and Industrial engineering to help them secure placement in Germany.
During his AP visit, the German Ambassador said that the youth of AP are an asset for both India and Germany. He also met with nurses from the state who were leaving for Germany.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there is considerable scope for deepening cooperation between Andhra Pradesh and Germany in areas such as technology, agriculture, and infrastructure, both sides should also explore new frontiers in higher education, vocational training, and workforce mobility. Strengthening these linkages would not only help Andhra Pradesh build a globally skilled workforce but also address Germany’s demand for qualified professionals.
As the state positions Visakhapatnam as an emerging global innovation hub—with the Google AI Centre symbolizing this transformation—closer Indo-German collaboration could play a pivotal role in shaping Andhra Pradesh’s journey toward a digitally empowered and globally connected future.
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