00:00That once we delivered on our promise, they said, we are ready. And they moved. No issues whatsoever. Greenfield, Steel
00:07City, Greenfield. Because people know that it is ArcelorMittal, it's going to happen. It's not hoarding of land. So I
00:14think giving that sense of confidence to your electorate is going to be very, very critical.
00:18Coming to data center, I think it's very prevalent to have this conversation. There are completely two extreme views. Is
00:26data center good? Well, let me rephrase. There's an extreme view that data center is bad and there's an extreme
00:31view that data center is good. So it's important to have conversations with people who believe that data centers are
00:36not good. Like why do they believe that? Few examples of the U.S. is a bad example for us
00:41in the country. Because we have one nation, one grid, which the U.S. doesn't have.
00:44If you look at water, close to 3,000 TMCs of Godavari water flows into the sea every year. That's
00:52equivalent to the water consumption of whole of Vietnam, the whole of Brazil. The 6.5 gigawatts that we intend
01:00to build out in data center requires one TMC.
01:04So in comparison, a one gigawatt thermal plant consumes seven times more water than one gigawatt data center. So all
01:12of us are talking about the data center, but no one is talking about the thermal plant.
01:15Like just to put things in context, right? So it's important to have these conversations. It's important to have this
01:20conversation with the youngsters because it's their future.
01:23And rightfully so, they should be, they should have a voice at the table. So we are engaging with them.
01:28So my member of parliament who represents that parliament where all the data centers are coming up in Vishakhapatnam is
01:34meeting with all these youngsters.
01:35He's having an open conversation with them to understand what's their fears. And then how can we sort of learn
01:41from it? And if there's any zoning or anything that needs to be further fine-tuned, we're willing to do
01:45that.
01:46But it's important to bring all of them across the table and give them a voice.
01:50Thank you for that. So I actually want to switch gears, but it's linked to some of the things you've
01:56said, right?
01:57Again, you can't pick up a newspaper without people worrying about an AI.
02:04New Dawn, apocalypse, productivity, engine, whatever, however you want to characterize it, right?
02:13And you've said that you think that this is going to lead to productivity gains and create more jobs than
02:21it destroys.
02:22Just elaborate on that a little bit for us on how you're thinking about that.
02:26Because it's pertinent to the overall India question, right?
02:30Absolutely. It's more important for India because we were the beneficiaries of the entire IT revolution, right?
02:37And definitely certain jobs will get replaced. No second thoughts about it.
02:42So let me give you a few examples of how we've approached it.
02:45Now, politically, as a political party, we are one of the most digitized political party.
02:49If not one, I'll be number two in India.
02:53We have phenomenal data sets.
02:55So we've started deploying AI in our own library.
02:58We have a digital library now.
03:00So if I want to come do a press meet or I want to do this fireside chat,
03:03I'm using AI as a guide and saying, okay, what are my policies so that I can have a refresher?
03:08So what does that mean?
03:09My knowledge center, my members of my team should upgrade their skills, focus more on research
03:16than simple press releases.
03:19That's one simple way of looking at things.
03:21Second is sort of revamping our entire curriculum and tuning it for the next generation technologies.
03:28It could be AI, it could be machine learning, it could be quantum technologies.
03:31That's very, very important.
03:33And I believe that my chief minister had that vision and that's why he gave me both education
03:38and IT.
03:39He said, no, marry both together and create youth that are actually ready to not only sort
03:46of seek jobs, but actually end up creating jobs.
03:48So this is the kind of work that we need to build and the kind of ecosystem that we need
03:51to build as a nation.
03:55I'm going to switch gears and move to another topic.
03:59Center state.
04:01So, you know, when we have conversations with policy makers at the center, sometimes they'll
04:07say to us, look, you know, one of the issues over here is that the reach of the center only
04:11goes so far, just by definition, just in terms of how India is structured.
04:16And then the states need to take over.
04:18You've talked about the relationship between your chief minister and Prime Minister Modi
04:23and how they're working together.
04:25Elaborate a little bit about what you think the relationship should be like and how is
04:33Andhra different from other states in India.
04:37See, if you look at it, the policy framework gets set in Delhi, but execution happens in
04:42Delhi.
04:43You know, in the streets of India is where execution happens.
04:46And that's the subjects of the state.
04:48That's the subjects of the chief minister and the ministers under him, his team.
04:53Government of India with all intent is creating vibrant policies to execute.
04:59But then states have to own up to it.
05:02Some states are doing a better job than other states.
05:05Now, Andhra Pradesh, under the leadership of my chief minister, is doing an amazing job.
05:09So, if you look at AMCA project, which is the fifth generation fighter jet, India's attempt
05:14at a stealth fighter jet, which is now getting tendered out.
05:19We got to know about this project way back in 2025, Feb, March.
05:23I met Raksha Mantriji.
05:26I gave a letter and he looked at me saying, how do you know about the project?
05:29I laughed.
05:30And then he understood.
05:31And after that, we just followed it up.
05:33And once he called back, you know, informed my honorable CM saying that, yes, we are ready.
05:38And is Andhra ready?
05:39In 36 days, 600 acres was pooled in Puttaparthi, where we have an airport, an airstrip rather.
05:46And it was delivered to Government of India free of cost for the AMCA project.
05:51Now, that is the speed that Government of India is looking for.
05:54So, when I hear stories that, oh, Government of India is favoring this state over that state,
05:58it's absolutely false.
06:00Government of India is favoring states that are moving against states that are unable to deliver
06:06at the pace at which other states are telling.
06:07Because at the end of the day, they also have X amount of time, 24 hours.
06:11So, they are like, okay, Andhra will be done.
06:13Or in the other states, things get done.
06:15So, let's work with them.
06:17So, that's the pace at which we need to now work.
06:19And it's not just about investments, right?
06:22That's the other point.
06:23Government of India is actually looking for people who push back on policy.
06:27So, as one of the important partners of NDA, we give open feedback on policies.
06:32Closed door, of course.
06:33But they give feedback.
06:35And I must state this, that they are receptive.
06:37They are willing to hear us out.
06:39And in quite a few areas, they are willing to even change the policy, amend the policy.
06:44So, that's the biggest blessing that we have today.
06:48That's helpful.
06:49Reforms.
06:52So, going back to the responsiveness of the government over the last, since, I think, Diwali last year, we have
06:57seen, cumulatively, the biggest wave of reform since 1991, right?
07:04Whether it was in labor, nuclear, GST, the list goes on.
07:09We have also seen a number of trade deals that have been pushed through.
07:13And the government has got 23 priority areas of the economy that the intention is to focus on going forward.
07:19When you look at your priority list in Andhra, what are your priorities for reform?
07:27What's necessary?
07:29So, I'll reform any law, I'll change any law, I'll reform any process that will create jobs, jobs and more
07:36jobs.
07:37That is the single priority of the Andhra Pradesh government.
07:41AI is here, robotics is here, advanced manufacturing is here, dark factories are here.
07:49It's reality.
07:51But there are enough sectors that are going to create jobs.
07:55So, for me, as I said, you know, the 3S is going to be very, very critical for me as
08:00a state to deliver.
08:02If I want to create, you know, 20 lakh jobs, I always get confused between lakh and million.
08:07So, 20 lakh jobs, 5 years, 20 lakh jobs is our single priority.
08:12And I believe that is the most important thing and that's also the priority of the Honorable Prime Minister, is
08:17creating jobs.
08:18And reforms in that direction is going to be very, very critical.
08:22So, again, linked to the job creation, perhaps it's the linkages from there to manufacturing.
08:29So, we are 10 years into making India.
08:34And manufacturing has seen notable developments in certain areas.
08:40Electronics is one example, for instance.
08:42But overall, it still is about 15% of GDP.
08:47Now, being the optimist, I think that my view is that means that there's a lever that we can pull.
08:53How are you thinking about manufacturing in your state?
08:56And what role does that play in job creation in your path forward, Vandra?
09:02So, my humble opinion is that the way we've approached manufacturing needs a reform.
09:11So, I believe in the power of clusters.
09:13I believe that states should take up one, one sector.
09:18Or each state takes us five, ten sectors, but double downs on that sector.
09:23So, I'll give you an example.
09:24Andhra Pradesh is building 22 clusters.
09:28Data centers, pharma, medical devices manufacturing, IT of course,
09:32compressed biogas, UCG, underground coal gasification, to quantum computing,
09:40all the way up to glass city, space city.
09:45We have a defense city that's in making.
09:48Now, why am I sharing this with you is, it's important to build a cluster
09:51where within about a 150, 200 kilometer radius,
09:55the entire manufacturing ecosystem comes about.
09:57So, as important as it is for me to assemble a TV,
10:01now, can I get the plastic housing manufacturing?
10:04Can I get the thermocool manufacturer?
10:05Can I get the guy who prints the manuals to also be in part of this ecosystem?
10:10That is going to be very, very critical.
10:12That, I believe, is something that we should learn from various other countries.
10:16So, this is what I call verticals.
10:18And how do I build the entire verticals in the ecosystem?
10:21Horizontal is where my ministry comes in, education.
10:26Skilling, testing, certification.
10:29This is where I play a much larger role.
10:32So, you look at Government of India's policy around ITIs, revamping them.
10:35Now, Aslar Mittal is the first project that's taking off in India.
10:39And Aditya and I had a conversation where he said,
10:41now, let's build a material sciences university
10:44as part of the entire steel ecosystem that we're building.
10:48They're like five, six steel companies that are coming about in that geography.
10:51So, I said, we need material science university.
10:54So, this kind of vertical and horizontal tight integration is going to be very, very critical
10:59if India has to really deliver on the promise of making India.
11:04How did you choose those verticals for Andhra?
11:06What was the thought process?
11:08One is intent of my CM.
11:11Two is, you know, the geographic location and the minerals available.
11:16So, Andhra is the second longest coastline in India.
11:20This itself fends itself up for, you know, port-led development.
11:26And then manufacturing historically based on strength.
11:29So, because proximity to Bangalore is one part of the state,
11:32proximity to Chennai, proximity to Hyderabad.
11:35So, leveraging on the strengths of the other cities or even on the weaknesses,
11:39we're able to build new ecosystems.
11:42So, that's really helped us.
11:43So, Glass City.
11:44Now, why did I share about the glass experience?
11:47Globally, it's proven that as per capita income goes up,
11:50so does per capita consumption of glass.
11:52It could be facades or so on and so forth.
11:55And there's no real glass ecosystem.
11:57We have silicone already available, which is one of the main ingredients of glass.
12:01So, I started headhunting the companies that can come and build the entire glass ecosystem going about.
12:06Space, because we have Sri Arakota, which is a launch pad for India,
12:10it naturally fends itself for space.
12:11So, Pharma, we already had an ecosystem in Northern Andhra.
12:16We said, let's double down on it.
12:18Steel, because Vishaka Steel Plant already is there.
12:20I said, let's double down on building a large steel ecosystem.
12:24So, this is how we've gone about building it.
12:27And sort of looked at decentralized development.
12:29We're not looking at building just one city,
12:31but actually three economic regions, which will deliver on our promise.
12:35Actually...
12:36Actually...
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