Lokesh invites corporates to make Andhra Pradesh their headquarters
Andhra Pradesh is seeking to position itself as a destination for corporate headquarters, with IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday inviting domestic and global companies to set up their primary offices in Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Rayalaseema.
Addressing the inaugural plenary of the 31st CII Partnership Summit, Lokesh said the State offered a combination of quality of life, skilled manpower, connectivity, emerging technology infrastructure and direct access to the government. He cited its nearly 1,000-km coastline, cleaner environment and less congested cities as advantages over major metros.
The Minister said Andhra Pradesh had secured investment commitments worth ₹22.6 lakh crore since June 2024. Projects worth ₹17.2 lakh crore had received regulatory clearances and were expected to generate 12.7 lakh jobs, while investments worth ₹5.9 lakh crore had entered the construction stage.
Lokesh announced that the government would soon introduce an Investor Protection Act to ensure policy stability and investor confidence. The government was also discussing with the Centre the possibility of extending the legislation nationally, he said. In addition, an escrow mechanism would be introduced to ensure timely disbursement of promised industrial incentives.
Highlighting major technology investments, Lokesh cited Google’s proposed $15-billion AI data centre and subsea cable gateway project in Visakhapatnam, and the Quantum System Two facility being developed by IBM, TCS and L&T in Amaravati, which is expected to become operational by early 2027.
He also pointed to the Bhogapuram international airport and four proposed greenfield ports, which are expected to double the State’s cargo-handling capacity.
Promising a “client-first” approach, Lokesh said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Cabinet Ministers would remain directly accessible to investors through phone calls and WhatsApp. On the sidelines of the summit, he met representatives of CleanMax and ReNew to discuss proposed clean and green energy investments of ₹36,000 crore and ₹29,500 crore, respectively.
Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan also invited global investors to explore opportunities in Andhra Pradesh, citing its coastal economy, renewable energy potential and transparent governance.