The spat can be traced back to 15 July, when Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah halted land acquisition for a planned 1,000-acre Aerospace and Defense Park in Devanahalli.
Published Oct 02, 2025 | 3:35 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 02, 2025 | 3:35 PM
Priyank Kharge and Nara Lokesh.
Synopsis: Andhra Pradesh Minister N Lokesh has once again taunted Bengaluru by presenting Anantapur as an alternative ground for the aerospace industry to set up shop. His move followed a news report that said startups and firms were moving north to escape Bengaluru’s infrastructure inadequacies.
The interstate tussle for aerospace and defense investments just got sharper.
Karnataka IT and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge, on Thursday, 2 October, took a swipe at Andhra Pradesh IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh for pitching Anantapur as an alternative to Bengaluru.
Kharge’s retort followed Lokesh’s post on X that Andhra Pradesh has been building a world-class aerospace and defence ecosystem in Anantapur (officially Ananthapuramu).
Lokesh was responding to a news report that suggested startups and firms in Bengaluru were shifting towards North Bengaluru and Whitefield because of infrastructure bottlenecks.
“North sounds good. Slightly more north is Anantapur, where we are building a world-class aerospace and defense ecosystem,” Lokesh posted.
His post followed the publication of a report in a financial news portal that suggested startups and firms in Bengaluru were shifting towards North Bengaluru and Whitefield because of infrastructure bottlenecks.
It is natural for weaker ecosystems to feed off stronger ones. Nothing wrong with that, but when it turns into desperate scavenging, it shows more weakness than strength.
– Bengaluru’s GDP is projected to grow at a significant 8.5% until 2035, positioning it as the world's… https://t.co/E2tRggt8UW
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) October 2, 2025
Kharge responded quickly. In a caustic post on X, he dismissed Lokesh’s pitch as opportunistic.
“It is natural for weaker ecosystems to feed off stronger ones. Nothing wrong with that. But when it turns into desperate scavenging, it shows more weakness than strength,” he wrote.
The Karnataka minister then reeled off statistics to underline Bengaluru’s dominance. The city’s GDP is expected to grow 8.5 percent annually until 2035, making it the world’s fastest-growing city. Its property market is projected to rise by 5 percent in 2025.
By 2025, the urban agglomeration is set to house 14.4 million people, growing at nearly 2.8 percent a year. Bengaluru, Kharge pointed out, remains one of India’s top destinations for migrants and innovation.
“The government is and will continue to build infrastructure for the rapid growth we are experiencing,” Kharge said. Then came the punchline, dripping with sarcasm: “BTW, what is an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other’s expense called?”
The exchange brought to focus the fierce rivalry between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for high-tech investments, especially as global supply chains shift and India pushes defense manufacturing under its self-reliance agenda.
The spat can be traced back to 15 July, when Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah halted land acquisition for a planned 1,000-acre Aerospace and Defense Park in Devanahalli.
The project, pitched as a global hub for Boeing, Airbus, and Lockheed Martin, promised 10,000 jobs but ran into rough weather with farmers rising in protest over land pooling, compensation, and environmental issues.
Seizing the day, Lokesh had moved fast. He positioned Anantapur—barely an hour’s drive from Bengaluru—as a ready alternative. Backed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s revival agenda, he showcased 8,000 acres in the Sri Venkateswara Aerospace Park, along with subsidies, zero stamp duty, and land at 99 paise per acre.
“Why wait for uncertainties? Anantapur offers seamless infrastructure, skilled talent, and a stable policy environment,” Lokesh declared, tagging global firms in his posts.
Lokesh’s latest post has been viewed as one in continuation of his earlier intervention. He has yet to react to his Karnataka counterpart.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
