BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday invited companies from the Czech Republic to explore investment opportunities in Karnataka, particularly in energy, automotive manufacturing, aerospace, defence and agriculture, highlighting the State’s industrial capabilities, skilled workforce and investor-friendly ecosystem.
A delegation led by Czech Republic Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek met Shivakumar at Vidhana Soudha and held discussions on strengthening economic cooperation and expanding investment ties between Karnataka and the European country.
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, Industries Minister M B Patil, MP and Chief Minister’s chief adviser Dr GC Chandrashekhar, and State Additional Chief Secretary Tushar Girinath were among those present.
The Czech delegation included Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Marie Chatardova besides other officials and trade representatives.
Welcoming the delegation to Bengaluru, Shivakumar highlighted the city’s strengths in technology, research, engineering talent and entrepreneurship, and expressed hope that the visit would create new avenues for cooperation.
Pointing to the complementary strengths of the two economies, he noted that the Czech Republic had expertise in precision engineering, machine tools, automotive components, industrial machinery, transport technologies and applied research. These capabilities, he said, aligned with Karnataka’s priorities in manufacturing, aerospace, electronics and technology.
Focus on energy and manufacturing
The CM invited Czech energy major EPH (Energetický a průmyslový holding) to explore investment opportunities in Karnataka’s energy sector, considering the State’s growing power requirements and its potential in renewable and hydel energy.
In the automotive sector, discussions focused on manufacturing, engineering, sourcing partnerships, electric vehicles and next-generation mobility solutions. Existing industrial links, including the presence of Škoda and Bata and the Tata AutoComp–Škoda Group partnership, were cited as examples of the potential for expanding bilateral business ties.
The two sides also explored opportunities in specialised manufacturing, automotive component production and testing facilities.
Shivakumar welcomed the proposed memorandum of understanding with Gopalan Aerospace, expressing hope that it would open up further avenues for cooperation in aerospace and defence.
Czech firms urged to explore districts
Shivakumar encouraged Czech companies to look beyond Bengaluru and explore investment opportunities in other districts of Karnataka.
He specifically invited the AGROFERT group to consider investments in agriculture, forestry, horticulture and floriculture, highlighting the potential for collaboration in these sectors.
The discussions also covered existing institutional support for Czech businesses, including the CzechTrade office in Bengaluru, the Czech Business Incubator and the Czech Industrial Cluster. These initiatives build on the India-Czech Republic Strategic Partnership on Innovation agreed upon in January 2024.
Assurance on investment facilitation
Assuring the delegation of the State government’s support, Shivakumar highlighted the role of Invest Karnataka, Karnataka Udyog Mitra, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) and the State’s single-window clearance system in facilitating investments.
These mechanisms would help companies identify suitable locations, navigate regulatory approvals and coordinate with government departments.
The Chief Minister said Karnataka aimed to attract technology-driven investments that would strengthen local industries, create quality employment opportunities and boost exports. He emphasised the need for structured follow-ups and regular engagement to translate discussions into concrete investment proposals.
