Andhra, WEF to set up centre for Energy, Cyber Resilience in state

Andhra Pradesh government has partnered with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to establish India's first thematic centre for Energy and Cyber Resilience in Amaravati under the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) network.

A Government Order (GO) said that this would be India's first such collaboration under WEF's C4IR network, focusing on energy and cybersecurity innovation.

"This initiative reflects our Swarnandhra (Golden Andhra) vision 2047 and strengthens Andhra Pradesh's global presence in clean energy, AI, and cybersecurity," said a release from TDP on Friday.

The centre will collaborate with WEF's centres for Energy, Materials, and Cybersecurity, aiming to develop green industries, AI-led governance, and pilot sustainable technologies, it said.

Meetings at Davos laid the foundation for this collaboration with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and IT Minister Nara Lokesh, driving the mission to boost investment and innovation.

According to the release, the centre aims to conduct pilot projects in energy transition, smart grids, AI farming, and governance while also training youth in emerging cybersecurity technologies.

To support the centre's activities, the state has sanctioned Rs 36 crore for three years, which will initially function from Vijayawada or Amaravati.

A committee chaired by Lokesh will govern the operations, ensuring alignment with international forums and driving the southern state's global tech partnerships.