Lokesh pitches Andhra Pradesh as headquarters hub for global firms at CII Summit in Vizag

IT Minister Nara Lokesh shows a map to Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal during the CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan look on. | Photo Credit: ANI Calling upon global industry captains to move beyond merely setting up manufacturing units, Information Technology and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday pitched Andhra Pradesh as an ideal corporate headquarters destination, promising unmatched administrative speed, clean air, and direct leadership access to companies willing to make the State their corporate home.Addressing the inaugural plenary of the 31st Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit here, Mr. Lokesh invited domestic and international enterprises to set up their primary headquarters in Visakhapatnam, Amaravati, or Rayalaseema.Framing his pitch around five core advantages—quality of life, skilled talent, multimodal connectivity, future-ready tech ecosystems, and direct governance access—the Minister contrasted Andhra Pradesh’s pollution-free environment, expansive 1,000-km coastline, and uncongested cities with severe traffic bottlenecks and air quality challenges plaguing major Indian metros.Backstopping his pitch with the government’s execution track record, Mr. Lokesh revealed that Andhra Pradesh has garnered ₹22.6 lakh crore in investment commitments since June 2024. Of this, 73% (₹17.2 lakh crore, projected to generate 12.7 lakh jobs) has already converted into regulatory clearances, while 51% (₹5.9 lakh crore) has moved into active construction.‘Investor Protection Act soon’To guarantee policy predictability and investor confidence, Mr. Lokesh announced that the State will soon introduce an Investor Protection Act—and is in talks with the Centre to replicate it nationally—alongside an escrow account mechanism to ensure the automatic, hassle-free disbursement of promised industrial incentives.Highlighting rapid strides in emerging sectors, Mr. Lokesh pointed to Google’s $15-billion AI data centre and subsea cable gateway project in Visakhapatnam, alongside the upcoming Quantum System Two facility in Amaravati—being built by IBM in partnership with TCS and L&T—slated to go live by early 2027.He also cited the State’s port-led infrastructure push, anchored by the recently operational Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram and four upcoming greenfield ports that will double cargo handling capacity.‘Client-first’ governanceUnderscoring a “client-first” governance model built on speed, stability, and service, Mr. Lokesh assured delegates that the Chief Minister and Cabinet Ministers, including himself, are just a phone call or WhatsApp message away, often responding faster than a company’s own internal teams.On the sidelines of the summit, Mr. Lokesh met top corporate leaders, including of CleanMax for ₹36,000-crore clean energy project, ReNew for ₹29,500-crore green energy investment, among others.Investor-friendly hubMeanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan pitched Andhra Pradesh as a stable, investor-friendly hub backed by transparent governance.Commending Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s vision and Mr. Lokesh’s industrial outreach, Mr. Pawan Kalyan urged global delegates to tap the State’s coastal and green energy strengths. Published - November 12, 2026 11:23 pm IST