The two ministers have been engaged in a war of words following Google’s announcement of a $15 billion investment in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam.
Published Oct 17, 2025 | 4:26 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 17, 2025 | 4:27 PM
Priyank Kharge and Nara Lokesh.
Synopsis: Google will invest $15 billion over the next five years in India, the American multinational tech giant said as it announced its plan to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub in Visakhapatnam. The AI hub in Andhra Pradesh’s port city will be Google’s largest outside the United States.
Responding to Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh’s “spicy food” jibe, Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday, 17 October, alleged that the neighbouring state’s total liabilities have now ballooned to nearly ₹10 lakh crore.
The two ministers have been engaged in a war of words following Google’s announcement of a $15 billion investment in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam.
“Everyone enjoys a bit of spice in their food, but just as nutritionists recommend a balanced diet, economists too advocate a balanced budget. In just one year, they have borrowed over ₹1.61 lakh crore, and the revenue deficit to GSDP has worsened, rising from 2.65 percent to 3.61 percent,” Kharge said in a post on X.
He further added, “Whatever said and done, we will always be: ‘Neighbour’s envy and Owner’s pride’.”
Everyone enjoys a bit of spice in their food, but just as nutritionists recommend a balanced diet, economists too advocate a balanced budget.
The neighborurs total liabilities have now ballooned to nearly ₹10 lakh crore.
In just one year, they have borrowed over ₹1.61 lakh…
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) October 17, 2025
He was responding to Lokesh who had said in a post on X, “They say Andhra food is spicy. Seems some of our investments are too. Some neighbours are already feeling the burn!”
They say Andhra food is spicy. Seems some of our investments are too. Some neighbours are already feeling the burn! 🌶️🔥 #AndhraRising #YoungestStateHighestInvestment
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) October 16, 2025
Meanwhile, JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy trained the guns towards Karnataka Congress, while responding to Nara Lokesh.
He wrote on X: “Andhra is cooking up investments, while Karnataka’s ministers are busy cooking excuses. Andhra is attracting Google; Karnataka’s ministers are threatening people who use it. No roads, no funds, no jobs, but just reels, real estate, and rhetoric! It Looks like Andhra’s spice burns hotter than Bengaluru’s asphalt these days. Nara Lokesh bro, under NDA, you’ve shown how leadership can reboot a state. We’ll do the same in Karnataka, 2028 will be our reboot year!”
Andhra is cooking up investments, while Karnataka’s ministers are busy cooking excuses.
Andhra is attracting Google; Karnataka’s ministers are threatening people who use it.
No roads, no funds, no jobs, but just reels, real estate, and rhetoric!It Looks like Andhra’s spice… https://t.co/GjSfGPj6yV
— Nikhil Kumar (@Nikhil_Kumar_k) October 16, 2025
Google will invest $15 billion over the next five years in India, the American multinational tech giant said as it announced its plan to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub in Visakhapatnam.
The AI hub in Andhra Pradesh’s port city will be Google’s largest outside the United States.
The American multinational tech company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government to establish a 1 Gigawatt (GW) hyperscale data centre in Visakhapatnam, marking one of the largest foreign direct investments in the country’s tech sector.
The agreement, valued at nearly $10 billion (₹83,000 crore), was inked in New Delhi on Tuesday, 14 October, in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and IT Minister Nara Lokesh, alongside Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurien.
