Andhra Pradesh on Fast Track to Becoming a ‘Start-up State,’ Says Nara Lokesh

Andhra Pradesh is fast becoming a “start-up State,” driven by a strong business appetite and its Speed-of-Doing Business (SoDB) framework, IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh said.

Speaking at a Q&A session organised by the Andhra Pradesh–United Kingdom Business Forum in London on Tuesday night (September 16), Mr Lokesh revealed that the State has attracted $120 billion in investments over the past 15 months.

“No other State could secure deals like the ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel plant in Anakapalli or the entry of IT giants such as Google and TCS into Visakhapatnam,” he said, crediting Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership and the government’s sustained investment efforts.

Highlighting key projects, he mentioned the AM-NS steel plant, TCS’s expansion, LG Electronics’ pending investment, and Reliance Industries’ Compress Bio-Gas plants. A 1-Gigawatt data centre is under construction in Visakhapatnam, while an automotive ecosystem has grown around Kia Motors’ facility in Anantapur.

Policy incentives have also supported growth. TCS received land in Visakhapatnam at 99 paise per acre under the Land Incentive for Tech Hub (LIFT) Policy, and Reliance Industries leased 80,000 acres for Napier grass cultivation for CBG production.

Focusing on emerging technologies, the State is developing a Quantum Valley in Amaravati and a Space City in Tirupati, anchored by Skyroot Aerospace. Next-generation manufacturing and market diversification remain strategic priorities.

Acknowledging challenges, Mr Lokesh said, “Three out of ten decisions might go wrong, but we are willing to listen and make course corrections. Once the hands are shaken, a project becomes ours,” inviting entrepreneurs to explore Andhra Pradesh’s distinctive advantages.