The Andhra Pradesh delegation at the World Economic Forum sought to blend grassroots empowerment with global capital flows.
Published Jan 21, 2026 | 2:26 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 21, 2026 | 3:12 PM
Besides N Chandrababu Naidu, Union Ministers Prahlad Joshi and Rammohan Naidu, several chief ministers and ministers from other states, were present at the India Lounge inauguration.
Synopsis: The Government of Andhra Pradesh and RMZ Group announced a strategic investment partnership valued at approximately $10 billion. The collaboration envisages large-scale mixed-use, digital and industrial infrastructure projects across Visakhapatnam and the Rayalaseema region over the next five to six years, with potential employment generation for nearly one lakh people.
Andhra Pradesh has made a multi-pronged pitch for inclusive development and large-scale investments at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026, with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu projecting the state as one of India’s most industry-friendly and future-ready destinations.
From championing the ‘One Family–One Entrepreneur’ model to unveiling multi-billion-dollar infrastructure partnerships, the Andhra Pradesh delegation sought to blend grassroots empowerment with global capital flows.
Addressing a WEF session on ‘One Family–One Entrepreneur’, Naidu said development should not be the preserve of a few but a shared journey in which every household becomes a stakeholder.
The state, he said, has adopted the concept to ensure that economic growth percolates to the last mile. As India marches towards a technology-driven, productivity-led economy, every citizen must be encouraged to seize entrepreneurial opportunities, he added.
To translate this vision into action, the chief minister highlighted institutional support being extended through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub for start-ups, alongside targeted encouragement to MSMEs and women entrepreneurs.
The government’s P-4 poverty alleviation framework, he said, focuses on handholding disadvantaged families and enabling them to reach defined economic goals.
“We want everyone to be development partners, not spectators,” Naidu remarked, underlining efforts to promote value addition and branding of Andhra Pradesh products, particularly in agriculture and allied sectors.
On the sidelines of the forum, the chief minister, accompanied by IT Minister Nara Lokesh, held a series of meetings with global technology leaders.
In discussions with IBM Chairman Arvind Krishna, the Andhra Pradesh government sought IBM’s support to train nearly 10 lakh youth in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and cybersecurity.
Talks with Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian focused on the proposed Google AI data centre in Visakhapatnam, while interactions with World Intellectual Property Organisation Director General Daren Tang centred on strengthening the start-up ecosystem, innovation frameworks and patent systems in the State.
Naidu reiterated that investors would receive single-table clearances, time-bound approvals and personal accountability from the government.
“If anyone comes forward to invest in Andhra Pradesh, we will provide all permissions across the table,” he assured.
Several entrepreneurs at Davos lauded the ‘One Family–One Entrepreneur’ initiative, saying it could catalyse rural development and broaden the base of economic growth.
The chief minister also used the global platform to pitch Andhra Pradesh’s investment credentials during a CII-organised session titled, The Andhra Pradesh Advantage.
Calling the state one of the fastest-moving investment destinations, Naidu invited global industrialists to visit Andhra Pradesh and judge its “speed of doing business” first-hand. He said the state has been able to attract nearly 25 per cent of the country’s investments in key sectors, driven by policy stability and execution efficiency.
Outlining opportunities, Naidu pointed to green energy, digital infrastructure, logistics and advanced manufacturing as priority areas. He cited flagship projects such as Google’s investments in Visakhapatnam, the green ammonia plant at Kakinada, and ongoing plans to develop a space city, ports, airports and highway connectivity.
Drone ambulance services are slated to be rolled out this year, he said, adding that Andhra Pradesh’s 1,000-km coastline offers a natural advantage for port-led industrial growth. Describing India as a knowledge economy in the making, Naidu said the country’s skilled youth force is its greatest asset. CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee, Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar and several global industrialists attended the session.
In the geopolitical and economic context, Naidu asserted that India has emerged as the safest and most preferred destination for foreign investments.
Inaugurating the India Lounge at Davos under the theme, Partner with India, he said nations worldwide are looking towards India as it undergoes rapid transformation.
He expressed confidence that India would become the world’s third-largest economy within two years and a top-ranked economy by 2047, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for elevating India’s global standing.
While wealth creation is essential, Naidu emphasised that improving living standards is equally critical. He said the coalition government in Andhra Pradesh is committed to enhancing the quality of life across social strata.
Observing that WEF offers valuable insights into global trends, he noted that green energy and digital infrastructure are drawing intense international focus. Union Ministers Prahlad Joshi and Rammohan Naidu, along with several chief ministers and ministers from other states, were present at the India Lounge inauguration.
The Davos visit also translated into concrete investment announcements. In the presence of Minister Lokesh, the Government of Andhra Pradesh and RMZ Group announced a strategic investment partnership valued at approximately $10 billion.
The collaboration envisages large-scale mixed-use, digital and industrial infrastructure projects across Visakhapatnam and the Rayalaseema region over the next five to six years, with potential employment generation for nearly one lakh people.
Under the partnership, RMZ Group proposes a Global Capability Centre (GCC) Park at the Kapuluppada Phase-1 IT Park in Visakhapatnam, with a built-up area of up to 10 million sq. ft. spread over about 50 acres.
Complementing this will be a hyperscale data centre cluster in the Visakhapatnam region, with a targeted capacity of up to 1 gigawatt across 500–700 acres, designed to support next-generation digital and AI workloads with an emphasis on sustainability and green power.
To promote balanced regional growth, RMZ also plans an industrial and logistics park over 1,000 acres at Tekulodu in Rayalaseema, anchoring manufacturing, warehousing and logistics activity.
Another major boost came from the $12-billion clean infrastructure partnership with Brookfield Asset Management, which gained momentum at Davos. In a meeting between Lokesh and Brookfield President Connor Teskey, both sides reviewed progress on the landmark MoU signed at the CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam.
Discussions focused on fast-tracking a clean-energy-powered, gigawatt-scale data centre campus in Visakhapatnam, alongside energy storage, solar manufacturing and green hydrogen pilot projects linked to port-led industrial clusters.
Lokesh said Brookfield’s continued commitment underscored confidence in Andhra Pradesh’s policy certainty and execution speed.
“This partnership is about speed, scale and sustainability,” he said, reiterating the state’s ambition to integrate renewables, storage, digital infrastructure and manufacturing into a future-ready economic ecosystem.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
