The State government has signed a landmark agreement with Australia’s Deakin University to establish a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, the first of its kind in India, dedicated to advanced AI skill development.

The announcement was made by IT & Industries Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu at the Secretariat, in the presence of Australia’s Minister for International Education, Julian Hill.

The Centre of Excellence will be housed within the upcoming AI University at Telangana’s Future City. It will be jointly operated by the Deakin Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute and the Telangana Government.

Minister Sridhar Babu emphasised that the initiative is not limited to producing academic graduates but aims to create globally competitive professionals equipped with cutting‑edge AI expertise. “This partnership reflects our vision to position Telangana as a gateway for Digital India,” he said.

The minister explained that the Centre will support advanced research and skill development across critical sectors, including governance, healthcare, education, IT, life sciences, agriculture, critical minerals and rare earth metals. He noted that the agreement is part of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s broader efforts to bring leading international universities to Telangana, thereby strengthening the state’s innovation ecosystem.

Highlighting his recent visit to Australia, Sridhar Babu said Deakin University has also been invited to establish a campus in Telangana. In addition, Australia has agreed to provide high‑end skill training for working professionals from Telangana in their country, ensuring global exposure and advanced learning opportunities.

The minister underscored that arrangements are being made to integrate skill development programmes across major educational institutions in the state. He expressed confidence that the Centre of Excellence will accelerate Telangana’s transformation into a hub for AI innovation, research, and industry collaboration.

Government IT Advisor I Saikrishna, IT Department Chief Strategist Srikanth Lanka and senior Australian representatives, including Cam Green, Karen Sandercock, Nathaniel Webb, Steven Biddle, Hilary McGeachy, Steven Connelly, and Vikram Singh, attended the MoU signing ceremony.