CM Chandrababu highlights India–Israel economic ties at Davos

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has said that the World Economic Forum in Davos is a key platform for strengthening India–Israel economic cooperation, expressing confidence that new opportunities are emerging for clean-technology investments in the state.

On Wednesday, Mr Naidu met Israel’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat on the sidelines of the forum. Sharing details on X (formerly Twitter), the Chief Minister said the two leaders held extensive discussions on a range of strategic sectors. These included the India–Israel partnership in defence, aerospace and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies.

According to Mr Naidu, the talks also covered cooperation in semiconductors and quantum technology, along with Israel’s expertise in water purification and improving groundwater quality. He added that discussions were held on developing joint programmes in the medical, education and cybersecurity sectors.

The Chief Minister said he hoped these engagements would help advance the goal of developing Andhra Pradesh into a Med-Tech and Aero-Defence hub. He also referred to a proposal for setting up an Israeli Industrial Park in the state and noted that there was a detailed discussion on attracting Israeli companies to undertake local manufacturing.

Mr Naidu is leading a high-level delegation comprising ministers and senior officials to the five-day World Economic Forum. The delegation departed from Gannavaram Airport on Sunday night and was welcomed by members of the Indian diaspora in Europe. The Chief Minister later met India’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Mridul Kumar, and shared details of the meeting on X.

The Chief Minister has been holding a series of meetings with ministers and senior officials from various countries in Davos. On Tuesday, he met the UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, with whom he discussed several key issues relating to economic cooperation.