India To Get Global Fintech Operations Centre In Gujarat: Google CEO Sundar Pichai

The Indian-origin Google CEO Sundar Pichai said it is exciting to see the progress that the country has made, particularly around the vision of Digital India and the economic opportunity.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 24 June 2023 2:45 am

Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google

Amid PM Narendra Modi's cisit to the United States, Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Friday announced internet giant Google will set up its global fintech operation centre at GIFT City in Gujarat.

The announcement came after Pichai met PM Modi in Washington.?

PM @narendramodi interacted with CEO of Alphabet Inc. and @Google @sundarpichai. They discussed measures like artificial intelligence, fintech and promoting research and development. pic.twitter.com/ae42p8EIrR
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 23, 2023

What did Sundar Pichai say?

"Today we are announcing the opening of our global fintech operations centre in GIFT City, Gujarat. It will cement India's fintech leadership, thanks to UPI, and Aadhaar. We are going to build on that foundation and take it globally," Pichai said.

Pichai also said that his company continues to invest in India though its USD 10 billion India Digitisation Fund.

The Indian-origin CEO said it is exciting to see the progress that the country has made, particularly around the vision of Digital India and the economic opportunity.

"I met the prime minister in December, and we continued our conversation. We shared that Google is investing USD 10 billion in the India digitisation fund and we are continuing to invest through that, including in companies working on artificial intelligence. As part of that, we have a 100-language initiative. We are bringing bot to more Indian languages very soon," Pichai said.

Praising PM Modi, Pichai said He said that the prime minister's vision for Digital India was ahead of its time.

"I now see it as a blueprint that other countries are looking to do so," Pichai said.

Modi-Pichai Conversation

According to MEA, Prime Minister Modi invited Pichai to explore further avenues of collaboration in the domains of artificial intelligence, fintech, and cybersecurity products and services, as well as mobile device manufacturing in India.

It has been reported that they also discussed collaboration between Google and academic institutions in India to promote research and development, and skill development, the ministry added.

In July 2020, Google had announced plans to invest USD 10 billion in India over next five to seven years as the search giant looks to help accelerate adoption of digital services in the key overseas market.

Modi is visiting the US from June 21 to June 24 at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.

Besides Pichai, the prime minister at an interaction with top CEOs also met Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Apple CEO Tim Cook, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and AMD CEO Lisa Su, among others