Need to brace up because of unpredictable US policymaking: karnataka IT minister

Karnataka’s Minister for IT and Biotechnology, Priyank Kharge, is steering the state’s push into DeepTech, AI, and advanced manufacturing. As one of india’s leading tech hubs, Karnataka faces competition from neighbouring states while seeking to attract investment, develop specialised talent, and expand infrastructure. In a telephonic interview with Peerzada Abrar, Kharge discusses the state's policies, incentives, and initiatives, and how the state was planning to address potential headwinds from US trade tariffs and H-1B visa rules. Edited excerpts:

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Karnataka is betting big on deeptech and artificial intelligence. What's the aggregate investment target, FDI plus domestic, that Karnataka is chasing over the next 2-3 years? And more critically, how are you competing with Maharashtra, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, who are all aggressively courting the same investors?

While the competition is on paper, let’s look at the data. We are among the top startup ecosystems globally. We are the 4th largest technology cluster. Our IT exports are about %4.5 trillion ... Telangana is at about %2.1 trillion.