Hans News Service Amaravati

Aftersuccessfully attracting Kia Motors and LG Electronics, Andhra Pradesh has launched an aggressive campaign to secure the next wave of Korean investments, targeting high-value sectors including shipbuilding, semiconductors, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, batteries and advanced electronics.

Leading a high-level investment mission in Seoul, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh held a series of meetings with Korean government officials, global corporations and industry leaders, positioning Andhra Pradesh as Korea's preferred manufacturing and logistics gateway into India.

Addressing the CII Partnership Summit roadshow in Seoul on Friday, Lokesh said the state's focus had shifted from attracting individual factories to building complete industrial ecosystems. He said the success of Kia's Anantapur plant, which led to the emergence of one of India's largest Korean automobile clusters, demonstrated Andhra Pradesh's ability to deliver large manufacturing projects quickly. More than 35 Korean companies are now operating in the state. The investment pitch centred on sector-specific proposals to some of South Korea's biggest companies. Samsung Electronics was invited to establish AI-ready data centres, AI server manufacturing, semiconductor packaging, display fabrication, battery manufacturing and research facilities at Amaravati's proposed Quantum Valley. The government also proposed developing a dedicated "Samsung City" in Andhra Pradesh.

Kia Motors was asked to expand beyond passenger vehicles by establishing integrated manufacturing for electric and hybrid vehicles, EV components, battery systems and charging electronics, besides creating a CKD assembly and export hub near Visakhapatnam Port.

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