Days after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stoked controversy by commenting on India’s already controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, Nadella is expected to visit the country later this month, reports Reuters.
Nadella is planning to be in India between Feb. 24 and Feb. 26 and will likely visit New Delhi, tech hub Bengaluru and the financial capital of Mumbai, two people familiar with the plans told Reuters.
The visit comes in the backdrop of Nadella’s comments on CAA. He had criticised the new immigration law through a personal statement released to Buzzfeed here. “I think what is happening is sad, primarily as sort of someone who grew up there… I think it’s just bad,” Nadella told BuzzFeed at a company event.
Nadella’s comments drew severe criticism from a large section of general populace as well as political figures in the country, including the likes of top Indian central government ministers. Microsoft almost immediately went into damage control, quoting Nadella as saying that every country has the right to protect and define its borders.
Nadella’s visit hold significance, as it comes in times when India’s central government has become increasingly critical of foreign tech companies. Additionally, the government continues to press down on foreign companies for its data localisation rules.
The visit would also be a month after Amazon.com Inc CEO Jeff Bezos made a trip to the country. His trip didnt go down too well with the Government, despite him announcing a slew of measures and proposed investments in the country’s ecommerce sector.
