VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that Andhra Pradesh wants to emerge as a major growth engine in the country’s journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047, Minister for HRD and IT Nara Lokesh has invited Gujarat-based industrialists to partner in its development.
Addressing a CII Partnership Summit roadshow organised by the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) in Ahmedabad on Friday, Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh is rapidly progressing and sought greater participation from Gujarat’s industrial sector.
Praising Gujarat’s industrial development, infrastructure and investment ecosystem, he said the State had demonstrated what could be achieved through entrepreneurial spirit, sound policies and effective implementation.
Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh is focused on attracting quality investments, advanced technologies and leading companies, while ensuring that investment proposals are translated into projects on the ground.
He claimed that Andhra Pradesh accounted for 25.3% of the investments coming into the country during the first nine months of 2025-26.
‘Speed of doing business’ was a key strength of Andhra Pradesh, he said, adding that the government was working on three principles - speed, stability and service.
Citing the proposed $15-billion Google AI hub and data centre in Visakhapatnam, Lokesh said the project demonstrated the government’s ability to facilitate major investments.
He also referred to the proposed ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel greenfield steel plant, saying the project, with an annual production capacity of around 17 million metric tonnes and an investment of over $12 billion, had progressed from initial discussions to foundation-laying in 17 months.
He said the government viewed investors as long-term partners in Andhra Pradesh’s development and would address individual problems by identifying and resolving systemic issues.
The Minister said Andhra Pradesh is targeting 175 GW of renewable energy capacity and developing 23 sector-specific clusters covering electronics, automobiles, green energy, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, steel, drones, aquaculture and advanced manufacturing.
He said the State would develop Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Tirupati as economic regions, with a cluster-based development strategy.
Lokesh called for greater cooperation between Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, saying companies need not choose between the two States as they could work together to create new opportunities. He invited Gujarat industrialists to invest in AP.