CII Partnership Summit: Andhra CM Naidu makes investment pitch before UAE, Japanese delegations

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during a meeting with Japanese Ambassador Keiichi Ono in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGMENT Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday met UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, who is in Visakhapatnam to participate in the CII Partnership Summit.Highlighting the vision of the State government to develop Rayalaseema as a global horticulture hub with an investment of ₹1 lakh crore, Mr. Naidu said that fruits grown in the region were being exported to international markets.He invited UAE-based agrifood company Silal to participate in the food cluster proposed to be set up by the UAE. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during a meeting with UAE Economy and Tourism Minister Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Andhra Pradesh offers immense opportunities for investment in procurement, processing and export of farm and food products, he said and discussed the grounding of Dubai-based Floormaster industry project in Chittoor district.Mr. Naidu urged the UAE Minister to facilitate an early decision on the proposed food cluster. He highlighted the investment potential in maritime, aerospace and defence sectors.The UAE Minister said his country was keen to invest along India’s eastern coastline and that Andhra Pradesh could emerge as a key destination for UAE investments. He welcomed the arrival of leading global companies and data centre projects, including Google in Andhra Pradesh, stating that these developments reflected the State’s ability to attract major investments.The UAE delegation informed Mr. Naidu that it was exploring the possibility of importing shrimp and other aquaculture products from Andhra Pradesh. Twelve more UAE-based companies had expressed interest in investing in the proposed food cluster.Japan seeks rare earth mineralsMr. Naidu, during a meeting with Japanese Ambassador Keiichi Ono, discussed industrial investments, skill development, critical minerals, steel industry, green energy and other areas of mutual cooperation.Andhra Pradesh has a large youth population, and industry-oriented skill training could transform it into a highly skilled workforce.The Japanese representatives expressed their willingness to provide skill development training to employees working in industries.They raised the issue of ensuring a steady supply of rare earth minerals to Japan, adding that such cooperation would help further strengthen the India-Japan partnership for supply of critical minerals.They sought support for uninterrupted import of semi-finished steel products from the parent company in Japan required for the final-stage processing at the ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India plant.They said that Proterial India was planning to manufacture amorphous metal in India for the first time. The material is used in the production of high-capacity transformers. With the industrial incentives offered by A.P., the company has drawn up plans to commence production in Sri City in December 2026.The Japanese team said that a new Global Capability Centre (GCC) would be set up in Visakhapatnam this year through India-Japan cooperation, leveraging the talent of Indian professionals. The Japan-based JERA has entered into a preliminary agreement with AM Green to procure 70,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually from Kakinada for five years, they said. Published - November 12, 2026 12:32 am IST