Google picks Hyderabad to establish Safety Engineering Centre

Google has selected Hyderabad to host its Safety Engineering Centre (GSEC), a move poised to establish the city as a global hub for cybersecurity and safety engineering solutions.

The Hyderabad GSEC will be the first of its kind in the APAC region outside of Tokyo and the fifth globally, joining similar facilities in Dublin, Munich, and Malaga.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced on the platform ‘X’ that he, along with Industries and IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu, successfully secured a significant technological investment partnership with Google. The agreement followed discussions with a global Google team led by Royal Hansen, the company's Chief Information Officer.

According to an official statement, the GSEC will function as a specialized international cybersecurity hub, focusing on advanced research, AI-driven security innovations, and the development of online safety solutions tailored to India. It aims to foster skill development, create employment opportunities, and enhance India’s cybersecurity ecosystem.

Currently, Google operates its largest employee base in Hyderabad and is constructing its biggest office outside its global headquarters in the city.

The Telangana Government played a key role in securing this investment, leveraging Chief Minister Reddy’s visit to Google’s U.S. headquarters to highlight Hyderabad’s potential as a technology and cybersecurity leader.

“Telangana has been at the forefront of digital skill development, and Hyderabad is already a global IT hub. With this partnership, we aim to address global cybersecurity challenges from Hyderabad,” said Chief Minister Reddy.

The GSEC, initially announced on October 3, 2024, during the Google for India 2024 Conclave, is expected to transform Hyderabad’s digital landscape. The facility will bring top-tier engineers, local policy experts, and collaborations with academic and government institutions to tackle cybersecurity challenges in India. This will boost digital safety for businesses, governments, and citizens, while creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

Royal Hansen, CIO at Google, stated, “Hyderabad is uniquely positioned to become a global hub for safety engineering and cybersecurity. This partnership aligns with the shared vision of excellence between Google and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.”

Telangana’s collaboration with Google reflects its broader vision of fostering a robust technological ecosystem through innovation, research, and training. Initiatives like the T-Fiber project, aimed at connecting over 47 lakh rural homes, will benefit from GSEC’s efforts to enhance digital security.

Google is also exploring further investments in Hyderabad, including a Cloud Centre of Excellence (Google C-CoE), a Google-powered Intelligent Traffic Management System, and the development of Hyderabad as a globally leading smart city. Additionally, the partnership seeks to enhance education through AI and cybersecurity programs and establish a Google Startup Hub to support the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

These initiatives align with Google’s commitment to advancing digital transformation and security, further solidifying Hyderabad's status as a global technology powerhouse.