From Our Corresondent
Visakhapatnam: Responding to a question from a European delegate on why Italian companies should invest in Andhra Pradesh instead of established industrial hubs such as Maharashtra, Delhi or Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said healthy competition among Indian states drives national progress.
Speaking at the CII India–Europe Business Partnership Roundtable in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, Naidu said, “We are in an era of cooperative federalism. States must compete with one another — that’s how India grows stronger.”
Recalling his earlier experience as Chief Minister during the rise of the IT industry, Naidu said, “Once, Bengaluru was the IT capital of India. I competed to bring that edge to Hyderabad — and today, Hyderabad is rated even higher because of that competition.”
He added that former Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna once told him it was no longer possible to keep pace with Andhra Pradesh’s progress, after which both leaders agreed to collaborate for the larger goal of national development.
“India is one, and we must all work together to promote India globally,” Naidu said, noting that he has witnessed the evolution of technology-led growth through his long political career. “We are living in a very inspiring time,” he added.
Naidu’s remarks came as part of a broader dialogue with European investors, where he pitched Andhra Pradesh as India’s next major investment destination, emphasizing its speed of doing business, investor-friendly policies, and technology-driven governance.