BENGALURU: Karnataka Large and Medium Industries Minister MB Patil on Tuesday said that he, along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, would meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday, and request the sanctioning of two defence corridor projects for the state.
Addressing the media in Bengaluru, Patil said that if defence and aerospace companies shift to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu, it would be a big loss for Karnataka.
Patil said that the Tamil Nadu government has been actively expanding industries in Hosur, located just 40 km from Bengaluru. “They also plan to build an international airport at Hosur. Land is being allotted there at highly subsidised rate. If Andhra Pradesh succeeds in attracting aerospace and defence park, companies in this sector may shift their operations there causing losses of unimaginable proportions to Karnataka,” Patil elaborated.
Further, Patil said that Karnataka contributes 65% to the country’s aerospace and defence sector and holds the top rank nationally. Globally, Karnataka’s aerospace-defence ecosystem is ranked third. “Karnataka is home to major players such as HAL, Safran, Boeing, Airbus, Collins, and Lockheed Martin. We already have an aerospace park adjacent to the Devanahalli airport. To strengthen our position further, the government now proposes another aerospace and defence park in the vicinity. Farmers, who lose their land, will be compensated according to the Land Acquisition Act, 2013,” Patil defended the State Government’s stand on acquiring land.
The minister also said that the HAL chairman met him recently, during which he assured the PSU the government’s support for land requirements.
“As the country’s leading contributor to the aerospace and defence sector, Karnataka deserves two defence corridors — one in the Kolar-Chikkaballapura region and the other in the Hubballi-Belagavi belt. We will put this request forward during our meeting with Rajnath Singh,” Patil said, adding that leading companies such as Aequs already have units in Belagavi.
Patil also said Karnataka should have been granted a defence corridor on merit when Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh were allotted the projects. “Even the Union Government has realised this oversight, and Rajnath Singh himself has acknowledged this . This was also discussed when Rajnath Singh participated in GIM Invest Karnataka 2025.We are not against projects being sanctioned for other states. We are only demanding what Karnataka rightfully deserves,” Patil added.
Why this bias, MB Patil asks Prakash Raj
Industries Minister MB Patil has hit out at actor Prakash Raj for protesting against land acquisition near Devanahalli near Bengaluru for an aerospace and defence park. Patil said that the actor should raise his voice against land acquisition in other states as well.
“In Karnataka, we have decided to acquire 1,282 acres for the aerospace and defence park. In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the government there has acquired 10,000 acres from Madakasira to Penukonda for a similar project free of cost. Why hasn’t he (Prakash Raj) raised his voice against this?” Patil said, adding that if the actor is really concerned about farmers, then he should protest against land acquisition in other states as well.
Patil further said that the Chandrababu Naidu-led government in Andhra Pradesh has acquired another 45,000 acres for industrial use. “It has been widely reported in the media that Andhra Pradesh has provided land to companies such as Infosys, Cognizant, and TCS at a cost of just 99 paise per acre. Does Prakash Raj not see these developments?” Paitl questioned.