Naidu hardsells AP to UAE investors

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh is stepping up its global investment push, positioning itself as a strategic hub for technology, renewable energy, and food processing. Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, on the second day of his three-day UAE outreach, met top industrialists and tech executives to showcase the state’s infrastructure, policy reforms, and investment opportunities.

Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s 1,053 km coastline and extensive port network, Naidu emphasised that the state’s investor-friendly policy reforms were designed to accelerate the speed of doing business. In discussions with ADNOC’s global trading representative Ahmed bin Talit, the Chief Minister outlined opportunities in petrochemicals, LNG, gas processing, port logistics, and green energy, agreeing to establish a roadmap for technical collaboration leveraging ports at Krishnapatnam, Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam, and Kakinada.

Naidu also met Ahmed Jassim Al Zaabi, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, and Mansoor Al Mansoori, CEO of G42, a UAE-based AI, cloud computing, and health tech firm. The Chief Minister invited G42 to establish AI data centres, innovation labs, and smart governance infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh and announced the launch of quantum computing services in Amaravati from January. A networking session with executives from UAE and Indian multinational firms, including G42, ADIC, IHC, WIO Bank, Polygon Morphic, Trucker, Policy Bazaar, Insurance Market, Insarts, GII, Noon, and Inception, focused on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), fintech, health tech, cloud computing, and digital governance opportunities. Naidu said the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub would fuel innovations in the state.

The Chief Minister also held a series of high-level meetings with UAE energy and hospitality investors. Discussions with Khalifa Khouri, chairman of Apex Investments, centered on renewable power generation, high-capacity battery storage, and supercapacitor manufacturing. Naidu requested Apex to explore sending supercapacitors to Andhra Pradesh via sea and invited investment in the hospitality sector. Naidu also met Salmeen Almeri, CEO of Agthia Group, to discuss horticulture and aquaculture opportunities, cocoa-based chocolate production, and the broader food processing sector. He also met Lulu Group Chairman Yusuf Ali and discussed with him about the company’s ongoing investments in malls and food processing in AP.