Andhra Pradesh pitches for UK investments at London roadshow

London, Sep 17 (PTI) The government of Andhra Pradesh made a pitch for UK investments across tech and energy sectors with a London roadshow, positioning the southern state as one of India's fastest-growing and most compelling destinations for long-term international partnerships.

Nara Lokesh, Minister for IT, Electronics and Communications, Real Time Governance and HRD, showcased Andhra Pradesh as "unmatched" for speed of doing business, underpinned by fast approvals, transparent land allotment, and proactive facilitation by the state government.

Addressing over 150 senior executives and industry leaders representing sectors such as advanced manufacturing, finance, energy, and technology at the Institute of Directors (IoD) in London on Tuesday evening, he revealed that the TDP government had secured investments worth over USD 114 billion over the past year, complete with land allocation.

"Our message in London is clear: the sunrise state of Andhra Pradesh is the best place to do business in India,” said Lokesh.

"In just 15 months, we have facilitated investments worth over Rs 10 lakh crore (USD 114bn) and are now engaging global partners to be part of our journey towards becoming a 2.4 trillion dollar economy by 2047. The UK roadshow is not just about investments, but about building long-term partnerships in booming industries like data centres, semiconductors, renewable energy, EVs, and AI-led innovation,” he said.

The minister also held a series of high-level bilateral engagements with representatives of leading multinationals, including the Hinduja Group, Rolls-Royce, Apollo Tyres, ArcelorMittal, and Coventry University.

He highlighted Andhra Pradesh as uniquely positioned with solar, wind and pumped storage resources to support 100 per cent renewable energy-based infrastructure.

Lokesh cited the ArcelorMittal and Adani Data Centres as examples of the state hand-holding investors through the approval process towards seamless coordination with the central government.

The roadshow, organised in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), was part of a global outreach ahead of the CII Partnership Summit 2025 scheduled for Visakhapatnam on November 14-15. The participants included representatives from Ericsson, Cyient, Evante Global, AI OpenSec, Bank of America, and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"The London roadshow has reinforced Andhra Pradesh's position as one of India's most dynamic investment destinations. With its strong leadership, forward-looking policies, and focus on technology and sustainability, Andhra Pradesh is set to play a pivotal role in strengthening India-UK economic ties,” said Harshul Asnani, President and Head of Europe Business at Tech Mahindra and Member of CII India UK Business Forum.

The CII Partnership Summit 2025 in Visakhapatnam is set to host global CEOs, policymakers, and thought leaders for discussions on trade, technology, and sustainable growth. PTI AK ZH ZH