Go beyond politics to work towards improving city’s infrastructure, urges Ashwini Vaishnaw

Going beyond politics, Karnataka and the Union government should work together to improve Bengaluru’s infrastructure, urged Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology.

He was delivering a virtual keynote address at the opening of SAP Labs’ largest campus in India at Devanahalli here on Tuesday.

He said the Union government was committed to working with the State government, despite political differences, to improve the infrastructure condition of the city.

Rail connectivity

The Minister further said that the government was keen to improve the transportation facility within the city and outside the city. “We are planning to double the rail connectivity within the city and to the city from outside in the next three years,” he said.

Earlier, inaugurating SAP Labs India Innovation Park, on 41 acres of land at Devanahalli, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “Both Airport Metro line and suburban rail were being fast tracked to be ready by 2029. He said he was committed to balancing, decentralising, and sustainable growth beyond the core of Bengaluru.”

He said that his government was happy to partner with SAP Labs in areas like digital governance, smart cities, skilling, and sustainability to empower MSMEs, and enhance government services in the State. The new SAP facility represented the global enterprise’s deep trust in Karnataka’s capability, the Chief Minister said.

Since 1998, SAP Labs India, headquartered in Bengaluru, has grown to become SAP’s largest R&D facility outside Germany. “As we advance in clean energy, sustainable mobility, and eco-conscious growth, investments like this demonstrate how economic progress and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

On education and skill development, he said, with an ambitious ₹2,500-crore programme supported by the World Bank, his government was strengthening first-grade colleges, establishing a Centre of Excellence, and enhancing R&D capabilities to build a skilled, future-ready workforce aligned with the demands of advanced technologies.

Sindhu Gangadharan, managing director, SAP Labs India and head of customer innovation services, SAP said, “India’s rise as a global technology powerhouse is not just a story of scale — it’s a story of ingenuity, resilience, and relentless innovation.”

Thomas Saueressig, member of the executive board of SAP SE for Customer Services and Delivery said, “It is a global innovation hub that will help our customers move from insight to action with enterprise-grade AI, data, and applications created right here in India.”

Addressing the gathering Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India, said, “When SAP entered India in 1998, the country was future for the company and now, India a huge market for SAP.”