Meghalaya plans IT policy 2.0 with focus on AI, global capability centres

Meghalaya is working on a second version of its information technology and IT-enabled services policy, with artificial intelligence (AI) and global capability centres (GCCs) emerging as key areas of focus, a senior state government official said.

Pravin Bakshi, Commissioner and Secretary of the IT&C Department, said the proposed policy would seek to make Meghalaya more attractive to technology investors, including through customised incentives for large investments.

The state government is considering additional incentives for investors committing more than Rs 100 crore, over and above those available under existing policies, Bakshi said.

"We are now in the process of working on an IT, ITeS policy 2.0. In that, we will try to focus on AI, and then we will try to focus on GCC," Bakshi told PTI on the sidelines of the Nasscom BPM Confluence 2026.

He said Meghalaya was also looking to improve the conditions required to attract GCCs, which have increasingly expanded in cities such as Bengaluru and Visakhapatnam.

The state has held preliminary discussions with US-based fintech company CodePay about setting up a GCC in Meghalaya, Bakshi said, while acknowledging that the state still has considerable groundwork to do.

"There is a reason why these GCCs are landing up in Vizag or in Bangalore. There is still some ground to cover," he said.

The push comes shortly after Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma inaugurated Shillong Tech Park-II at Umsawli.

The facility adds 1.8 lakh square feet of ready-to-occupy technology space, built at a cost of Rs 121 crore. It is the largest single addition of dedicated IT space in Meghalaya so far.

Bakshi said the new infrastructure would help the state build capacity as companies increasingly look beyond traditional technology hubs.

He said Meghalaya could benefit from the movement of IT and IT-enabled services towards tier-2 and tier-3 cities, particularly because of its English-speaking workforce. However, he acknowledged that scalability remained a challenge for the state.

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 18 crore for an AI Centre of Excellence at the Technology Park, according to Bakshi.

The proposed centre will occupy around 10,000 square feet and is expected to become operational within about two months. Healthcare, education and governance have been identified as its initial focus areas.

The centre is expected to form part of the state's broader push to build an AI ecosystem alongside its efforts to attract private technology investments.

The state is also preparing its workforce for opportunities emerging in the semiconductor sector in neighbouring Assam.

Bakshi said Meghalaya's skill development body was preparing training modules to equip local youth with skills relevant to the Tata Electronics semiconductor assembly and test facility coming up at Jagiroad in Assam.

The initiative is aimed at enabling Meghalaya's workforce to participate in the emerging semiconductor ecosystem in the region, he said.