Lokesh Pitches AP to Canadian Investors
“This is the right time for Canadian investors to invest in Andhra Pradesh,” he said, urging BCC to facilitate partnerships
VIJAYAWADA: Minister for education, IT and electronics Nara Lokesh has urged Canadian industry leaders to explore investment opportunities in Andhra Pradesh, citing fast-paced governance and investor-friendly policies under the current government.
Lokesh made the appeal during a meeting with Business Council of Canada (BCC) president Goldy Hyder in Toronto, as part of his US–Canada tour (Day 5). He said Andhra Pradesh, driven by a “Speed of Doing” approach, has emerged as a top destination for industrial and infrastructure investment.
He said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu brings decades of administrative experience, including developing global hubs such as Cyberabad. He noted that Andhra Pradesh has attracted investments worth over `20 lakh crore in the last 18 months, with more proposals in the pipeline.
Listing the state’s strategic advantages, the minister said AP has a 1,053-km coastline, a strong road and rail network, six operational ports and six airports. Within six months, Bhogapuram International Airport and the ports at Mulapeta, Machilipatnam and Ramayapatnam will become operational.
Lokesh said the Visakhapatnam–Chennai Industrial Corridor offers ready land and high-quality infrastructure, while companies such as Google, ArcelorMittal and Reliance have already shown interest. He said the rapid growth of IT, data centres and global capability centres is transforming Visakhapatnam into a global city.
“This is the right time for Canadian investors to invest in Andhra Pradesh,” he said, urging BCC to facilitate partnerships.
Responding, Hyder said the BCC represents more than 150 leading companies across sectors including energy, finance, technology and manufacturing, collectively employing 1.7 million Canadians. He assured support in enabling Canadian investments in Andhra Pradesh.
