The State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA), headed by Chief Secretary Anu Garg, approved 23 investment proposals worth around ₹4,573.87 crore across 11 districts on Tuesday. According to reports from Business Standard, the proposed projects are expected to generate 22,873 employment opportunities, marking a significant milestone in Odisha's industrialisation drive. Unlike previous rounds dominated by heavy industries, the projects cleared at the SLSWCA meeting were from sunrise sectors such as IT services, renewable energy equipment, battery manufacturing and biotechnology, alongside labour-intensive industries such as garments and textiles that promise large-scale employment generation.
HCLTech announced on Friday its plans to establish its first AI data centre in India with a ₹14,257 crore investment in the upcoming Odisha Sovereign AI Park in partnership with Sarvam and the Government of Odisha. As reported by the company in exchange filings, the planned capital outlay includes financial assistance from the Government of Odisha. The facility will feature an AI-optimised data centre alongside a Global Development Centre (GDC), enabling HCLTech to deliver advanced AI, Cloud computing, cybersecurity, digital engineering and enterprise technology services from Odisha. The integrated campus in Info Valley-II is expected to support next-generation computing workloads and serve the company's global clientele through software development and digital transformation solutions. According to the company, the investment 'will boost India's sovereign AI play and local developer ecosystem by leveraging HCLTech's full-stack AI capabilities and Sarvam's foundation models to offer sector-specific AI applications to private and public sector enterprises and address the government's sovereignty needs'.
HCLTech signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of Odisha and Sarvam on Friday, July 24, in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, HCLTech Chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra and CEO & Managing Director C Vijayakumar. As reported by the company, the Global Technology Centre, which is expected to begin operations by 2028, will house 5,000 employees and focus on developing and delivering AI-led digital solutions for global enterprises. The facility will also strengthen Odisha's technology ecosystem by creating direct and indirect employment opportunities and collaborating with educational institutions to develop next-generation digital skills. The technology centre will complement the proposed AI Data Centre, which will be developed in partnership with AI startup Sarvam and the Government of Odisha. The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr Mukesh Mahaling, Minister of Electronics and IT, Government of Odisha, highlighting the strategic importance of the partnership.
The project represents a significant milestone in HCLTech's full-stack AI market entry strategy, as announced by the company. HCLTech Chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra commented that the endeavor aligns with the Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, stating the company aims to be an 'enabler of India's sovereign AI ecosystem with differentiated offerings across the value chain through focused investments and partnerships'. CEO & Managing Director C Vijayakumar highlighted that the milestone will enable the company to 'serve the large demand for sovereign AI solutions and unlock the scale of our strategic partnership with Sarvam'. Rahul Singh, Chief Operating Officer – Corporate Functions at HCLTech, noted that the company is expanding its footprint across India under its New Vistas initiative to bring technology jobs closer to talent pools, stating that Odisha offers a strong combination of quality infrastructure and skilled talent. Sarvam Co-Founder Pratyush Kumar noted that the Odisha Sovereign AI Park will connect high-performance compute with Indian models and real-world applications, bringing Sarvam's full-stack AI capabilities to enterprises and public systems at scale. The facility is also expected to support multilingual AI services and strengthen India's ability to build and deploy AI solutions on domestic infrastructure, in line with the country's digital sovereignty ambitions.
Shares of HCL Technologies extended their gains, rising 1.34% to trade at ₹1,261.55 on the BSE at around 1:43 pm on Friday, following the announcement, reflecting positive market sentiment towards the strategic AI initiative. The company's textiles and apparel projects continue to show strong employment potential, with four garment and textile units expected to create more than 10,000 jobs, particularly benefiting women workers. SAPL Industries Pvt Ltd will invest ₹254 crore in a ready-made garment manufacturing unit in Puri, creating 4,570 jobs, while SPL Industries Ltd will establish another garment manufacturing facility in the district with an investment of ₹50 crore, generating 3,000 employment opportunities. Richa Global Exports Pvt Ltd will invest ₹84.45 crore in another apparel unit in Puri, creating 2,500 jobs, and Astha Cotspin Pvt Ltd will set up a textile manufacturing unit in Balangir district with an investment of ₹124.5 crore, creating 325 jobs. HCLTech currently employs more than 170,000 people across its technology campuses and delivery centres in India, including Noida, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow, Nagpur, Madurai, Vijayawada and GIFT City, according to the exchange filing.
