The Andhra Pradesh government has taken a significant step towards making the state a knowledge hub of the future by announcing the establishment of a state-funded research and innovation centre in Tirupati.

The project, named AP FIRST (Andhra Pradesh Futuristic Innovation and Research in Science and Technology) was approved by the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu last Friday. The main objectives of the centre will be to do advanced research, innovating, and developing skilled professionals to assist in the long-term economic growth of the city.

The meeting of the top-level took place at the Chief Minister’s camp office in Undavalli and included specialists from the fields of aerospace, defense, IT, and digital transformation as well as officials from the Drone Corporation of Andhra Pradesh.

The AP FIRST centre will be located in Tirupati and will take advantage of the powerful academic resources of both IIT Tirupati and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Tirupati. The Chief Minister pointed out that the collaboration between IIT and IISER should lead to the establishment of a nationwide recognized eco-system for the research and innovation of the highest caliber.

Naidu said that to open the state of youth to the worldwide job market, the government is going to prepare the state by aligning education and skill development with emerging technologies. He also talked about the increasing number of investors interested in Andhra Pradesh in the so-called sunrise sectors.

The key focus areas of AP FIRST are identified to be the following: aerospace, defense, space technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, sensors, quantum technology, healthcare, biotechnology, green energy and rural technologies.. The centre is expected to serve as a comprehensive platform to nurture startups, support new inventions, and create a highly skilled workforce for incoming industries.

Highlighting the state’s clean energy push, Naidu referred to the upcoming green ammonia plant in Kakinada and said AP FIRST should play a role in supporting such forward-looking initiatives.

The CM emphasized the need for a very strong networking relationship between AP FIRST and the universities, local and global businesses, and the best innovation which is to be connected to the Ratan Tata Innovation network. He suggested that there be a constant monitoring of global technology trends, and industries to assess the required skills, and curriculum updates.

Furthermore, Naidu instructed the officials to make the Drone Corporation of AP more powerful and to use the drones more for the purpose of agriculture, disaster management, and health emergencies. He also recommended examining the best practices worldwide, thinking about the use of drones for taxis and patients, and drawing up a plan for a drone traffic management system like air traffic control.

The Chief Minister stated that by the next International Drone Day, Andhra Pradesh must be in a position to show the public the real advantages of the drone-based services.

The meeting was attended by aerospace and defence adviser Satheesh Reddy, IT and digital transformation adviser Amit Duggar, IIT Tirupati Director K.N. Satyanarayana, Professor Senthil Kumar, DMTI Director Colonel P.S. Reddy, and senior officials from various departments.