Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday launched Pakistan’s first Google Chromebook assembly line and hailed it as a “historic milestone” that would make digital tools more accessible.

“Today marks a historic milestone in that journey as we celebrate the invaluable partnership between Google and Pakistan,” Dar said while addressing a ceremony marking the launch in Islamabad.

Terming the move a “defining moment for our country’s digital transformation”, the deputy PM said localising the assembly of Chromebooks would make access to digital tools more affordable and inclusive, particularly in the education sector.

Dar, who is also the foreign minister, said the assembly line’s establishment held great economic significance as it laid the “foundation for jobs, supply chain, development and future tech exports”.

Dar said that under a strategic memorandum of understanding, Google and Pakistan would “collaborate to provide skills training for 100,000 developers nationwide while also developing targeted programmes for the gaming and startup industries”.

“Together, we will also advance localised AI-powered solutions, such as Android services for public safety and offer 100,000 Google Careers certificates to equip Pakistanis with world-class digital training and globally recognised credentials,” the deputy premier said.

“Google’s decision to open its local office in Pakistan is not just symbolic; it is a moment for national pride and a powerful endorsement of our country’s digital potential,” Dar stressed.

He added that it represented a “strategic milestone with far-reaching implications for the digital economy, the innovation ecosystem and global investor confidence”.

The deputy PM noted that Google’s local presence would bring it “closer to Pakistan’s developers, startups and entrepreneurs, enabling direct collaboration, capacity building, and great access to global platforms”.

During his address, Dar appreciated Defence Production Minister Muhammad Raza Hayat and Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) National Coordinator Lt Gen Sarfraz Ahmad for their contribution in “all such efforts”.

Meanwhile, in her remarks at the launch IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja termed the launch of Chromebook’s assembly line as a transformative step, Radio Pakistan reported.

Khawaja highlighted that the move brought together technology, manufacturing and education. She expressed the government’s commitment to continuing Pakistan’s digital journey at a fast pace.

In June last year, Google for Education’s country partner Tech Valley, National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), and Australia-based manufacturer Allied announced their intent to establish a Google Chromebook assembly line in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Haripur.

Yesterday, a delegation of Tech Valley led by Kevin Kalis called on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in Lahore and promised support to establish a Google Chromebook manufacturing factory in Punjab to boost technology-driven education and local IT infrastructure.