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Chennai: Senior AIADMK leader and former minister RB Udayakumar on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the DMK government, accusing it of failing to bring a major tech investment in Tamil Nadu despite the state’s strong cultural links with global tech leadership.
Addressing reporters, Udayakumar said the DMK had missed a historic opportunity to attract Google’s new Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data center hub to Tamil Nadu.
“Despite Google CEO Sundar Pichai being a Tamilian, the DMK government failed to invite the company to set up its AI infrastructure hub here,” he said.
The AIADMK leader alleged that Andhra Pradesh had to bag the high-value project due to the state’s lack of active participation and foresight.
“Due to the inaction of the DMK government, the project went to Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
Udayakumar said the government’s inability to take advantage of such opportunities will have long-term economic and employment implications.
“This is not just a lost investment. This is a lost opportunity for Tamil Nadu to emerge as a national hub for AI, data analytics and digital infrastructure,” he said.
The AIADMK leader further claimed that the once booming investment climate in Tamil Nadu under the previous AIADMK regime was “damaged” due to the current administration’s “lack of foresight and engagement” with global tech companies.
“If the DMK government had shown initiative, this project would have been in Tamil Nadu today,” he said.
The AIADMK leader’s comments come days after Google Cloud Global CEO Thomas Kurian announced that the company will set up its largest AI and data center hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
The hub will include a massive undersea cable landing facility that connects the city to Google’s global network, effectively making Visakhapatnam a major digital connectivity gateway to India. The project is expected to significantly strengthen India’s digital backbone, which is expected to create thousands of skilled jobs and attract supporting industries.
Critics say Tamil Nadu’s debacle underlines the urgent need for a more dynamic investment strategy in South India to maintain its lead as a technology and innovation powerhouse.
–IANS