Host State Karnataka is making a special pitch for investments in nine key sectors, including aerospace and defence, during the forthcoming Aero India.
The State government has put up a two-day ‘Make in India – Karnataka’ conference along with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion and Confederation of Indian Industry from February 13 in the city to coincide with the aerospace expo, R.V. Deshpande, Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, told a presspersons on Friday.
Key leaders from each sector will present action plans and regulatory issues. The special session will be an ideal platform for the State to project its attractions in manufacturing.
D.V. Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary, Commerce and Industries Department, and Gaurav Gupta, Commissioner, Industries and Commerce Department, were present.
According to DIPP data for 2015–16, Karnataka attracted foreign direct investment of $4.1 billion which is the fourth highest in the country. In 2016, it received the highest investment intentions worth ₹1,54,173 crore which is almost three times that received by Gujarat, ranked second with proposals worth ₹56,156 crore.
The focus areas of the State conference are biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, textiles, apparel and leather; heavy engineering and machine tools; electronics and electricals; agri and food processing; automobile and auto components; manufacturing start-ups; and plastics and chemicals.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will preside over the inaugural event, which will be opened by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will be present for the closing event. Union Ministers M. Venkaiah Naidu, Suresh Prabhu, Ananth Kumar, Smriti Irani and M.J. Akbar are expected at the event.
