Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to open the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) data center and cybersecurity training institute in Bhubaneswar Sunday, a project designed to support payment systems and financial-sector operations.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued the itinerary Oct. 24. Modi is scheduled to visit Arvind Limited’s garment facility in Varanasi at 1:30 a.m. ET (05:30 UTC; 11 a.m. IST), attend an aerial display at Namo Ghat at 3:30 a.m. ET (07:30 UTC; 1 p.m. IST), and attend the RBI event in Bhubaneswar at 7:15 a.m. ET (11:15 UTC; 4:45 p.m. IST).
The government says the Varanasi facility is intended to expand textile and apparel production, create jobs with particular attention to women, and connect locally made products with Arvind’s global customer base. It has not provided a projected number of jobs.
At Namo Ghat, the display, titled Wings over Ganges, is scheduled to mark the Indian Air Force’s 94th anniversary. The PMO’s planned lineup includes Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, SU-30MKI and Rafale aircraft, along with aircraft from the Indian Navy and Army. The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team and Sarang Helicopter Display Team are also expected to take part.
The PMO describes the Bhubaneswar project as four data centers intended to host payment and settlement systems, and says the facility has Uptime Institute Tier IV certification. The cybersecurity institute is planned to support training, research and capability development in cybersecurity and enterprise technology. Modi is also scheduled to address a gathering.
In a 2023 release, the RBI said the project’s foundation stone was laid March 22 of that year and put the planned site at 18.55 acres. The bank said the development was designed to serve its own needs and those of the wider financial sector. The Bhubaneswar ceremony is the final engagement listed for Sunday.
