The Telangana government has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) to create a World Trade Centre (WTC) in the upcoming AI City near Hyderabad. This new WTC will cover one million square feet of space, designed to accommodate leading firms in AI and emerging technologies. According to a statement from Telangana’s IT and Industries Minister, D. Sridhar Babu, the WTC is expected to be one of the largest capacity-building projects in the global AI sector.
The AI City development will include world-class infrastructure such as modern office spaces, trade services, training centers, retail and entertainment hubs, co-living accommodations, a luxury hotel, and primary healthcare services. These facilities aim to create a fully integrated smart city with a “walk-to-work” concept, ensuring convenience and sustainability.
Boosting IT Exports and Global Influence
The establishment of the WTC is expected to significantly contribute to Telangana’s ambitious goal of increasing its IT exports from the current $32 billion to $200 billion. Minister Sridhar Babu remarked that this partnership is a testament to Telangana’s drive to foster global collaborations for economic growth. The WTC at AI City will play a crucial role in positioning the state as a global leader in AI innovation.
Robin van Puyenbroeck, Executive Director of WTCA in New York, highlighted the exceptional pace of this collaboration, noting that while obtaining a WTC license typically takes considerable time, Telangana’s bold vision enabled them to secure approval in just one week.
The announcement was made at the conclusion of the two-day Global AI Summit, which attracted more than 2,500 delegates and featured over 20 distinguished speakers from across the globe. The summit provided a platform for major announcements, such as the AI City project, and underscored Telangana’s commitment to advancing AI-driven innovation and investment.
Minister Sridhar Babu outlined a three-pronged strategy to propel Telangana towards its goal of becoming a $1 trillion economy. This includes a focus on vertical-specific Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in sectors like cybersecurity and finance, extending AI capabilities to rural areas, and ensuring ethical AI development through robust governance frameworks.
At the summit’s conclusion, the Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Technology Hub (MATH), a collaboration between the Department of Science and Technology and T-Hub, announced the winners of its hackathon and startup pitch competitions. The top three teams—Flatmates, Salubrity Health, and SoulSupport—received cash prizes of ₹5 lakh, ₹3 lakh, and ₹2 lakh, respectively, in recognition of their innovative solutions in AI and machine learning.
