VIJAYAWADA: During his visit to the USA, Minister of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, and Human Resources Development, Nara Lokesh, addressed potential investors at a roundtable hosted by the Consul General of India in San Francisco, K Srikar Reddy.
Lokesh emphasised that Andhra Pradesh’s industrial policy prioritises employment generation, decentralised development, and streamlined business operations, positioning the State as a top choice for global investors.
He announced that development in the State’s capital region, with an investment of $5 billion, is set to begin in December and Visakhapatnam (Vizag) will be positioned as Andhra Pradesh’s financial capital. He highlighted Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s efforts to transform Andhra Pradesh into an investment-friendly destination, citing Kia Industries as a key example of the State’s ‘Speed of Doing Business’ model.
Describing Andhra Pradesh as an ideal investment destination, Lokesh pointed out its strategic advantages, including India’s second-longest coastline.
Plans are underway for four new seaports, and various districts are set to become specialised hubs: Kurnool will be developed as ‘Drone Valley,’ Chittoor and Kadapa as electronics hubs.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh already manufactures 25 per cent of India’s mobile phones and 50 per cent of air conditioners.
As part of the State’s decentralised development strategy, a biofuel ecosystem will be established in Prakasam district.
Further elaborating, the Minister outlined plans for the Godavari districts to become centres for aqua exports, petrochemicals, and green hydrogen production, while North Andhra districts will focus on chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Vizag is expected to host a Civil Aviation University and a new Data Centre, with TCS soon commencing operations there.
The State’s Economic Development Board, led by Saikanth Verma, aims to establish Andhra Pradesh as a global manufacturing hub, with the electronics sector forecasted to attract $300 billion in investments.
Lokesh also visited Equinix’s San Francisco headquarters, where the company’s global MD Kaushik Joshi and Senior Strategic Sales Engineer Robert Allen introduced their data services.
Lokesh encouraged Equinix to establish a data centre in Andhra Pradesh.
Later, he joined San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano at Boson Motors, where he unveiled the new Intelligent Electrical Light Utility Vehicle, a driverless cabin truck by Falcon X’s subsidiary Boson Motors, highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s commitment to cutting-edge technology and innovation.