Hans News Service
Visakhapatnam
Elaboratingon the vast investment opportunities available in Andhra Pradesh and the State’s potential in food processing sector, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu invited several industrialists and company representatives from Dubai and UAE to invest in AP, particularly in food processing.
UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, who arrived in Visakhapatnam to participate in CII Partnership Summit, met Chief Minister Naidu on the eve of CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam.
During meeting, the CM explained that the State is developing Rayalaseema into a global horticulture hub with an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore. He called upon Silal, a leading UAE-based agri food company, to participate in the food cluster proposed to be established by the UAE.
Chandrababu Naidu highlighted that Andhra Pradesh offers immense opportunities for investment in agriculture, procurement of agricultural and food products, processing and exports. The proposed grounding of Dubai-based Floormaster Industries in Chittoor district also came up for discussion.
The CM urged the UAE Minister to facilitate an early decision on the proposed food cluster.
The CM also encouraged UAE companies to explore investment opportunities in various sectors, including maritime, aerospace and defence. He assured that Andhra Pradesh is ready to work closely with the UAE to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation. UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri responded that the UAE is keen to invest along India’s eastern coast and that Andhra Pradesh would emerge as a key destination for investments from his country.
The UAE delegation also evinced interest in importing shrimp and other aquaculture products from Andhra Pradesh.
Chief Minister Naidu was further informed that another 12 UAE-based companies were keen to invest in the proposed food cluster in the State. In a separate meeting with Japanese Ambassador Keiichi Ono, Chief Minister Naidu explored cooperation in skill development, critical minerals, steel and green energy. Japanese representatives offered to support industry-oriented training for Andhra Pradesh’s youth and sought cooperation in securing rare earth mineral supplies and uninterrupted imports of semi-finished steel for processing at the ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India plant.
In a meeting with Singapore Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Energy, Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu discussed advancing AP-Singapore partnership, with particular emphasis on Amaravati’s integrated township development, digital governance through RTGS, institutional capacity-building, logistics and international trade.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also met World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Director General Daren Tang to explore ways to secure international recognition for innovation, research and creativity in Andhra Pradesh and enhance awareness of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) among startups and entrepreneurs in the State.
The discussions focused on establishing a WIPO–Andhra Pradesh Academy and conducting joint programmes to provide training on Intellectual Property Rights, patents, trademarks, industrial designs and technology protection to students, researchers, startup founders and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The CM sought WIPO’s support in securing Geographical Indication (GI) tags for the State’s handloom products, handicrafts and other local products. He also requested assistance in expanding markets for existing GI-tagged products and taking their quality standards and branding to the international level.