Lokesh Spotlights Andhra Pradesh's Investment Potential at Mumbai Roadshow

VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Human Resource Development, IT, Electronics & Communication and RTG, Nara Lokesh, led a high-powered investor roadshow in Mumbai on Monday. The event was held ahead of the 30th CII Partnership Summit, scheduled to take place in Visakhapatnam on November 14 and 15.

During the Mumbai roadshow, Lokesh held several high-powered one-on-one meetings with top executives across diverse sectors, including ports and logistics, industrial infrastructure, real estate, electronics, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing. The discussions focused on attracting strategic investments to Andhra Pradesh, showcasing the State’s investor-friendly policies, and opportunities for collaboration in emerging and high-growth industries.

During the meeting with Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran and other representatives of the Group, Lokesh invited them to the inauguration of the TCS Development Centre in Visakhapatnam this month. He also requested the group to associate with the State government in the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure by Tata Power Renewables across the State. Lokesh expressed a desire for the Tata Group to work with the AP government in rooftop solar development and explore opportunities for establishing a cell module manufacturing unit.

Lokesh also requested the Tata Group to set up a Tata Elxsi regional office or engineering centre in Visakhapatnam. This move aims to enhance the state's capabilities in advanced manufacturing and engineering services.

During the meeting with Sachin Gupta, CEO of Trafigura India, Lokesh invited the company to invest in cold storage and export infrastructure. He also encouraged them to explore commodity trading desks at Vizag and establish an LNG regasification terminal at Kakinada or Vizag to support gas-based power. Lokesh highlighted that Andhra Pradesh is not only a major rice producer but also contributes 70% of India’s shrimp production, making it an ideal location for such investments.

Lokesh met representatives of ESR Group India Investments, including Saadat Shah and Prakrut Mehta, and requested them to partner with APIIC in developing mega industrial parks under the Plug & Play Industrial Parks Policy 4.0. He also invited them to set up 3-5 large logistics parks near AP ports, including multimodal hubs at Vizag and Kakinada. The IT Minister invited investment in cold chain, warehouses, and container freight stations to support port-led exports.

These discussions underscore Andhra Pradesh’s commitment to fostering a conducive environment for investors and leveraging its strategic location and resources to drive economic growth.