A historic Google AI hub investment in Andhra Pradesh has set off a new rivalry in South India. As Andhra’s Nara Lokesh celebrated the win and took a swipe at Bengaluru, Karnataka leaders DK Shivakumar and Priyank Kharge hit back, reigniting the Andhra–Karnataka competition for tech dominance. The rivalry mirrors an earlier race to become the IT capital of the South. Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, controversy brews over a claimed ₹15,000 crore Foxconn investment, which the company later denied, prompting political sparring between the DMK and BJP. From AI hubs to manufacturing, the battle among southern states is heating up — who will emerge as India’s new growth engine?

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