Microsoft plans to expand operations in Telangana

Global software giant Microsoft plans to expand its operations in Telangana, it was announced Monday.

Microsoft India chairman Bhaskar Pramanik met Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao here and discussed the expansion plans.

Pramanik briefed Rao of the activities of Microsoft in India and also discussed the tax policy being followed in the country. A statement from the chief minister's office said Pramanik announced that Microsoft will further expand its operations in Telangana.

Telangana's Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao was also present at the meeting.

The global software major has its India development centre here. Set up in 1998, it is the largest R&D centre of Microsoft outside its Redmond (US) facility.

The meeting assumed significance as it came a day after reports that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will be visiting Hyderabad next month.

This will be the first visit of the 47-year-old Nadella to India after he took over as the CEO early this year. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, he studied at Hyderabad Public School here. Son of retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer N. Yugandhar, he succeeded Steve Balmer as the CEO.

Nadella will meet both Chandrasekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Both the Telugu states are going all out to woo Microsoft CEO to propel IT growth. Naidu had invited him to his swearing-in ceremony last month.

Naidu, who claims to have convinced Microsoft as then chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh to set up operations in Hyderabad, is making all efforts to invite the software giant to have its presence in the new Andhra Pradesh. He hopes this will kick-start the development of IT sector as his state is beginning from a scratch.