Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu looks to boost global business, technology ties through CII summit

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said the CII Partnership Summit-2026 would showcase the state’s investment potential and facilitate global business and technological collaboration.

The 31st edition of the summit will be held in Visakhapatnam on November 12 and 13 under the theme ‘Navigating New World Order: Trade, Technology, Trust’. Representatives from 59 countries, including 15 foreign ministers, are expected to participate.

“The CII Partnership Summit-2026 will provide an opportunity to present Andhra Pradesh’s investment potential to the world and foster business and technological partnerships with global stakeholders,” Naidu said in a press release.

The two-day event will bring together government representatives from various countries, industry leaders, heads of international organisations and technology experts.

The summit is expected to draw 350 foreign and 900 Indian delegates, besides more than 40 international speakers, taking the total participation to around 1,250, the release said.

Around 400 business-to-business (B2B) meetings will be organised to promote partnerships among companies, while business-to-government (B2G) meetings will facilitate interactions between industries and government representatives, it said.

Government representatives from several countries, including Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, the Slovak Republic, Mauritius, Mozambique, Egypt, Algeria, Tanzania and Guatemala, are expected to attend.

Ambassadors of various countries and representatives of the World Food Programme, Asian Development Bank and United Nations Environment Programme will also participate in the summit.

The event will focus on six key themes: trade, investment and global value chains; trust, geoeconomics and global cooperation; agriculture, food security and the bio-based economy; talent, skills and international employment opportunities; technology, innovation and industries of the future; and clean energy and sustainable growth.

Naidu said discussions should focus on forging business and technological partnerships by bringing together policymakers, investors, industries, educational institutions and startups.

The main objective should be to connect industries in Andhra Pradesh with global markets and create new business opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), he said.

He said the summit should enhance Andhra Pradesh’s prominence in technological cooperation and create international employment opportunities for the state’s skilled youth.

He added that the state’s industrial incentive disbursement through escrow accounts and its Speed of Doing Business initiative should also be showcased globally.

Naidu said investment opportunities in green energy, technology and semiconductors should be widely publicised, adding that the state was well-positioned to attract investors with its investor-friendly policies, skilled workforce, infrastructure, knowledge base and strong leadership.

He said efforts should be made to assure industrialists that investing in Andhra Pradesh was safe and easy.

The Chief Minister reviewed the arrangements for the summit, including the discussion themes and proposed declarations, with representatives of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and government officials.