NEW DELHI: Bihar is taking strides to become a hub of electronic manufacturing in the country. At the India AI Impact Summit and Expo 2026, the state participated with much fanfare, setting up one of the largest pavilions at the event. During the summit, Bihar signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with major technology companies, involving investments worth Rs 468 crore. In an interview, Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit said the state is taking concrete steps to emerge as a major hub for electronics and IT, highlighting its recently released policy for a semiconductor manufacturing hub.
What is Bihar’s vision for IT, AI, and emerging technologies?
One of Bihar’s biggest strengths is its young population, with more than 58% of residents under 30 years of age. This demographic advantage is being leveraged to shape policies that create employment opportunities and encourage young people to stay in the state.
Keeping this in mind, the new government, which came to power in November 2025, has focused on building an AI-enabled ecosystem. It has introduced a semiconductor policy and a Global Capability Centre (GCC) policy, and I am happy to share that the first investor has already signed an MoU at the AI Summit.
Bihar is also developing a defence corridor, another key area of focus. In the field of AI, significant progress has been made in just the last one and a half months, including the establishment of one of India’s largest Centres of Excellence at IIT Patna, in partnership with Tiger Analytics. The state now plans to develop a ₹250 crore IIT Research Park in Patna, focusing on four core areas: agriculture, healthcare, education, and deep tech.
Many Bihar’s tech graduates work in the US, UK, or Bengaluru. How do you plan to bring them back to Bihar?
As I mentioned earlier, our primary goal is to create employment. Another key objective is to encourage people to return to Bihar. Nearly 40 lakh people come back to the state regularly, and this strong connection is one of our biggest strengths. For instance, our industry partner, Tiger Analytics, a ₹8,000 crore company in the US, has many leaders originally from Bihar.
Under our GCC policy, the first promoter has already planned to hire 2,000 employees. As more companies set up operations in the state, more professionals are expected to return. Additionally, if companies employ individuals with Bihar domicile, the Government of Bihar will reimburse a portion of their salaries, which is one of the key highlights of the policy.
Many states like Gujarat and Assam are offering incentives for semiconductor and electronic manufacturing. Where does Bihar stand?
Under the semiconductor policy, the state offers land incentives, support for electronics component manufacturing, and financial reimbursements. Eligible semiconductor units can get 20% of approved expenses reimbursed, up to ₹15 crore. Companies employing 70% Bihari residents get an additional 5% reimbursement (up to ₹5 crore). They also receive 25% of energy bills reimbursed annually for five years.
For electronics component manufacturing, Bihar provides 20% extra incentives over central government support, with an additional 5% for units hiring mostly local talent.
The Global Capability Centre (GCC) policy supports IT and tech hubs by reimbursing employee salaries: 30% in Year 1 (up to ₹15 lakh), 20% in Year 2 (up to ₹12 lakh), and 10% in Year 3 (up to ₹9 lakh). Higher support is available for employees with Bihar domicile who work at least 70% of the time in the state.
Bihar recognizes that semiconductor and AI industries need substantial power. Currently, there is no shortage, and the government is planning for future demand.
The policies were officially launched today, though substantial groundwork has already been done, and more announcements are expected soon.
How is Bihar promoting AI literacy and building government capacity in the state?
Bihar is collaborating with IIT Patna and international academic partners, including NUS Singapore, to design a six-month AI course for government employees. “Our aim is to make the state AI-literate. We want to remove the fear factor associated with AI and ensure government officials understand how to use it effectively,” the Chief Secretary said. The state is also preparing a three-month roadmap on AI usage and applications, focusing on citizen-centric services and improving everyday life through AI tools.