Nara Lokesh Unveils Andhra Pradesh’s Global Growth Blueprint
New Delhi, November 12, 2025: Andhra Pradesh has unveiled an ambitious vision to attract one trillion dollars in global and domestic investments, signaling its emergence as one of India’s most dynamic economic frontiers. Nara Lokesh, Minister for Education and Information Technology, announced the target at an international press conference in New Delhi ahead of the CII Partnership Summit scheduled to take place in Visakhapatnam on November 14–15.
Lokesh reported that the state has already attracted $120 billion in investments over the past 16 months — a result, he said, of Andhra Pradesh’s stability, policy agility, and investor-first approach. “These are not ceremonial MoUs,” he emphasized. “They represent operational projects that are creating employment and transforming regional economies.”
Employment-Led Growth Model
Underscoring employment generation as the cornerstone of the government’s development agenda, Lokesh stated, “Our goal is to create two million jobs over the next five years — not as a statistic, but as a promise to our youth. Every policy we design has job creation at its heart.”
He highlighted major investments reinforcing global confidence in the state’s business climate: ArcelorMittal selected Andhra Pradesh after a single virtual meeting; Google chose Visakhapatnam for its largest foreign direct investment in India — the Google Data City; BPCL is setting up a ₹1 lakh crore refinery; NTPC is developing a ₹1.65 lakh crore green hydrogen hub; and five of India’s top solar manufacturers have established their bases in the state.
Speed, Governance, and Visionary Leadership
Lokesh attributed this success to what he termed the “Speed of Doing Business,” a governance model designed to minimize bureaucratic delays and accelerate implementation. “In today’s competitive economy, speed defines success. A month’s delay can derail an investment plan. Andhra Pradesh ensures projects move from intent to execution at record pace,” he said.
This streamlined model, he added, has attracted top global and domestic firms across sectors, including TCS, Cognizant, and leading players in manufacturing, hospitality, and tourism. Andhra Pradesh, one of India’s first states to accord industry status to tourism, aims to add 50,000 hotel rooms within the next three years.
Nara Lokesh credited Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership for the state’s strong governance architecture. “Our administration combines visionary leadership with executional excellence,” he noted. “While some states speak of double-engine governments, Andhra Pradesh operates as a double-engine bullet-train government — under the NAMO leadership of Naidu and Modi. Together, we aim to realize the Viksit Bharat vision and transform Andhra Pradesh into a $2.4 trillion economy by 2047.”
CII Partnership Summit: A Global Platform for Collaboration
The upcoming CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam is expected to draw over 300 delegates from 45 countries, including G20 member nations and 12 international organizations. Over two days, participants will engage in 48 sessions, featuring a plenary, 27 technical discussions, and 11 state-focused forums.
During the summit, 410 investment agreements valued at $120 billion will be formalized, expected to generate approximately 750,000 jobs. Groundbreaking ceremonies for projects worth ₹2.7 lakh crore will also take place, marking a new phase in Andhra Pradesh’s industrial expansion.
Vision for a Trillion-Dollar Andhra Pradesh
Concluding his address, Lokesh remarked, “Healthy competition among Indian states drives national growth. Chief Minister Naidu’s vision is to make Andhra Pradesh a trillion-dollar investment destination and a global hub for sustainable industrial development. We are advancing this vision through a cluster-based model that ensures balanced and inclusive growth across all regions.”