UP CM attends groundbreaking ceremony of Microsoft’s India Development Centre in Noida
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday graced the occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony of Microsoft’s proposed India Development Centre (IDC) campus in Noida.
The proposed Noida campus, spanning 15 acres with a 1.1 million square feet built-up area, will serve as a hub for advancements in AI, cloud, and security, further expanding Microsoft IDC’s presence in the country.
With the proposed Noida campus, Microsoft will continue its momentum of strengthening India’s AI capabilities and supporting engineering talent and digital innovation, the company said in a statement.
“The groundbreaking ceremony of our new Noida campus reflects Microsoft’s continued commitment to advancing responsible AI innovation that empowers all communities, businesses, and citizens,” said Rajiv Kumar, Managing Director and President, Microsoft IDC.
The proposed facility will attract top talent from India and the world and empower them to innovate across AI, cloud, and security, that will positively impact billions of lives across the planet.
“We deeply appreciate the support of the government of Uttar Pradesh and Noida Authority in making this vision a reality and are grateful to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for gracing the occasion,” Kumar added.
The facility will accelerate digital transformation, foster AI skilling opportunities, and strengthen “deep partnership with Uttar Pradesh, and helping India become an AI-first nation.”
Microsoft IDC has a strong presence in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Noida.
Microsoft IDC is the largest R&D centre for the company outside the Redmond headquarters in the US.
Earlier this year, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella announced several AI partnerships in the country, which includes an MoU with the government’s ‘India AI Mission’ to skill 5 lakh people.
As part of the MOU, Microsoft and India AI together will skill 500,000 individuals, including students, educators, developers, government officials, and women entrepreneurs, by 2026.
They will also establish an AI Center of Excellence, called ‘AI Catalysts’, to promote rural AI innovation and support 100,000 AI innovators and developers through hackathons, community-building solutions, and an AI marketplace.