Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, having established a 40 billion integrated electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu through its group company VinFast, is now considering Telangana, particularly Hyderabad, for further expansion. The company is exploring the possibility of a 1,000-acre mega smart city project in and around Hyderabad and has started scouting for suitable locations. The VinFast India leadership team, headed by CEO Pham Sanh Chau, met with Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu late last week to discuss potential investment areas, according to sources from the Telangana industries ministry. A source mentioned that VinFast is not only interested in the smart city project but is also considering establishing EV components manufacturing in the state. The discussions focused on large-scale public key infrastructure projects, sustainable smart urban mobility solutions, services for future cities, and social housing initiatives. It was noted that the minister emphasised the urgent need to develop robust urban infrastructure, including new satellite cities equipped with clean water, reliable power, transportation systems, 5G-enabled smart mobility, healthcare, business infrastructure, and wellness and hospitality facilities supported by social housing. Those familiar with the meeting also mentioned that the minister informed VinFast officials that Hyderabad is expected to house half of Telangana's population within the next 15 years due to rapid urban migration, which will significantly strain the city's existing infrastructure. This challenge is one the state government is seeking partners to address. Vingroup is already undertaking a $ 1.3 billion smart city project on the outskirts of Hanoi, and the group's officials also informed the minister about their plans to develop similar smart cities in other parts of the world.