Karnataka IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge meets industry leaders in US
discusses innovation and collaboration opportunities
California, US: Karnataka Information Technology and Biotechnology (IT/BT) and rural development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge along with Minister for Large & Medium Industries M B Patil held a series of meetings with industry leaders and Indian diaspora in the US recently. They interacted with executives from Applied Materials, Juniper Networks and Western Digital and discussed topics including semiconductor ecosystem, hardware manufacturing, R&D investment, ease of doing business and others.
Sharing his experience, Priyank Kharge said, “Karnataka as an IT/BT hub offers immense growth opportunities for companies. I am happy that we had fruitful interactions with industry leaders in the US and received positive feedback. Our government continues to be committed to providing the best infrastructure, ensuring ease of doing business through conducive policies.”
Meeting with Applied Materials, a software services company
Key highlights: R&D lab, CoE for innovation and skilling
Ministers Priyank Kharge and M B Patil interacted with Applied Materials executives and also visited the Maydan Technology Center, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to advanced chip making.
Topics of discussion included:
- Government support for pre-construction approvals of the Applied Materials R&D lab in Whitefield, Bengaluru.
- Explored government restrictions on chemicals and gases, critical for the semiconductor ecosystem
- Commitment to accelerate Karnataka's ecosystem through collaboration on skilling and establishing a Center of Excellence for innovation in collaboration with the Government.
Applied Materials, a global leader in materials engineering solutions for the semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic (PV) industries, has recently announced its intention to build a collaborative engineering center in Bengaluru with an investment of $400 mn spanning over 4 years.
Meeting with Juniper
Key highlights: R&D, CoE, renewable energy, hardware manufacturing, skill development
Ministers interacted with Juniper executives about the following topics:
Enhancement of R&D capabilities.
Exploration of hardware manufacturing in India, with discussions on the supplier ecosystem, policies, and incentives in Karnataka.
- Insights into renewable energy plans for business operations.
- Government partnership on establishing a Center of Excellence for design and wireless products by March 2024.
- CSR initiatives for skill development in rural areas.
- Collaboration on skilling and training in Data Science, AI, IoT, and cybersecurity.
Juniper Networks, an American MNC specializing in the development and marketing of networking products, has the largest data center in Karnataka, employing 4000 people and is the largest base for developers.
Meeting with Western Digital
Key highlights: Manufacturing in India, PCB and ICB ecosystem, CoE in AR/VR
Ministers interacted with the executives from Western Digital on the below topics:
- Exploration of import tariffs and the Indian regulatory landscape to ensure the financial viability of manufacturing in India.
- Discussion on customs-related issues.
- Building connections with the PCB and ICB ecosystem, seeking support in establishing partnerships.
- Collaboration proposal for a Center of Excellence (CoE) in AR/VR (augmented reality and virtual reality) and gaming accelerators.
- Exploration of ways to improve ease of doing business and expedite the approval process.
- Western Digital, a computer drive manufacturer and data storage company, has a large R&D presence in Bengaluru and the team focuses on firmware development enterprise hard Disk Drive development.
Meeting with Indiaspora
Key highlight: Call for investments in Karnataka
At a dinner meeting with 30+ members of Indiaspora, a network of global Indian origin leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions, the Ministers spoke about the vision of Karnataka along with emerging opportunities. They called upon the entrepreneurs, business owners, and innovators to invest in the State of Karnataka, which is an IT and BT hub.
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US rules out use of nuclear weapons against Iran
Washington DC: The White House has reportedly ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against Iran, even as uncertainty continues over ongoing peace negotiations and a deadline set by US President Donald Trump approaches.
Issues bout a possible escalation had increased after US Vice President JD Vance said that the United States has “tools in our toolkit that we so far haven’t decided to use” in dealing with Iran.
His remarks came amid rising tensions and ahead of a deadline linked to peace efforts.
The situation has attracted attention as Trump warned Iran that its “whole civilization will die tonight tonight” if an agreement is not reached by Tuesday at 8 pm.
This statement led to speculation about the possibility of extreme military measures, including a nuclear strike.
Following Vance’s comments, the White House issued a clarification distancing itself from such interpretations. In a post on X, it said, "Literally nothing @VP said here 'implies' this, you absolute buffoons." In a later statement, it added that “only the president knows” what action will be taken regarding Iran.
Literally nothing @VP said here "implies" this, you absolute buffoons https://t.co/7JU3wXMaWX
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 7, 2026
