The Karnataka government is exploring a strategic partnership with Anthropic India to accelerate the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in governance, research, and skill development. IT&BT Minister Priyank Kharge met with Irina Ghose, the managing director of Anthropic India, in Bengaluru on Saturday, July 11, 2026, to discuss opportunities for collaboration. Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) Managing Director Avinash Menon Rajendran also attended the session.

Discussions focused on developing future-ready AI skills through joint skilling initiatives and the establishment of centers of excellence (CoEs) and incubators to foster local innovation and entrepreneurship. The government aims to transition from traditional e-governance to “i-governance,” which leverages intelligence-driven systems to improve citizen services. This involves utilizing state-owned datasets to create more responsive and efficient public service delivery mechanisms.

Minister Kharge emphasized that the potential collaboration aims to strengthen Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem by supporting startups and research initiatives. The proposed framework intends to promote mentorship and deepen engagement between the local DeepTech startup sector and global capability centers (GCCs). The partnership seeks to build sustainable, scalable AI models designed to deliver long-term public value for both the government and citizens.

The Karnataka government is exploring a strategic partnership with Anthropic India to accelerate the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in governance, research, and skill development. IT&BT Minister Priyank Kharge met with Irina Ghose, the managing director of Anthropic India, in Bengaluru on Saturday, July 11, 2026, to discuss opportunities for collaboration. Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) Managing Director Avinash Menon Rajendran also attended the session.

Discussions focused on developing future-ready AI skills through joint skilling initiatives and the establishment of centers of excellence (CoEs) and incubators to foster local innovation and entrepreneurship. The government aims to transition from traditional e-governance to “i-governance,” which leverages intelligence-driven systems to improve citizen services. This involves utilizing state-owned datasets to create more responsive and efficient public service delivery mechanisms.

Minister Kharge emphasized that the potential collaboration aims to strengthen Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem by supporting startups and research initiatives. The proposed framework intends to promote mentorship and deepen engagement between the local DeepTech startup sector and global capability centers (GCCs). The partnership seeks to build sustainable, scalable AI models designed to deliver long-term public value for both the government and citizens.