Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh is preparing for a major investment push as it hosts the 30th edition of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam on November 14 and 15, positioning the state as one of India’s fastest-emerging industrial destinations.Organised jointly with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the Summit will serve as a global platform for trade partnerships, policy dialogue, and investment commitments. More than 400 international delegates from 61 countries, 11 overseas ministers, and 300 global industry leaders are expected to attend. The government targets the signing of 410 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth around Rs 9.8 lakh crore across key sectors including manufacturing, energy, logistics, and advanced technology.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is driving the Summit as a defining moment in Andhra Pradesh’s economic revival.

Naidu views this edition as ‘historic’, not only because of the state’s strengthened political and economic position but also because of the scale of global participation.

The formation of the Central government in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) after the last year’s General Election, where Naidu’s party achieved an overwhelming mandate in the state, has created a uniquely favourable policy climate for investment collaboration.

The state is also leveraging renewed investor confidence, with global majors signaling large-scale entry. Technology giant Google is preparing to make what could be the single largest foreign direct investment (FDI) in India’s history, estimated at Rs 1.5 lakh crore in Andhra Pradesh.

Microsoft has expressed interest in investing in the upcoming Amaravati Quantum Valley project focused on next-generation computing. ArcelorMittal is ready to commit an equal investment, while BPCL is planning a Rs 1 lakh crore refinery and green energy complex in Nellore district.

Minister for IT, Electronics and HRD Nara Lokesh earlier said the Summit would mark “a new phase in Andhra Pradesh’s industrial transformation,” adding that the state had already attracted over Rs 10 lakh crore in investments during the past 16 months.

“This is not merely about signing agreements but about shaping a sustainable industrial ecosystem built on innovation, inclusion, and environmental responsibility,” he said.

According to the CII, the Summit, themed “Gateway to Growth: The Trade and Investment Imperative”, will explore India’s role in global supply chain realignments, the rise of Industry 5.0, and the transition to sustainable, technology-driven manufacturing.

Technical sessions will cover topics such as automation, AI, gender equality in technology, and climate resilience. Andhra Pradesh aims to position itself as a global hub for Industry 5.0 by integrating human creativity with robotics, artificial intelligence, and smart manufacturing systems.

Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Potluri Bhaskara Rao said the summit would create extensive opportunities for small and medium enterprises by linking them to global value chains. “Large industries will anchor supply networks here, and MSMEs will integrate into international trade systems. This will raise Andhra Pradesh’s profile as a major global industrial hub,” he said.

Officials noted that Andhra Pradesh’s competitiveness rests on a robust industrial ecosystem supported by skilled talent, abundant resources, modern port and airport connectivity, and a consistent record of leading India’s ease-of-doing-business rankings.

As India repositions itself amid shifting global trade dynamics and technological disruption, Andhra Pradesh is pitching itself as the country’s “Gateway to Growth”, a future-ready manufacturing base aligned with Industry 5.0 and sustainable economic development, they added.