VIJAYAWADA: A roundtable on trade and investment opportunities in Andhra Pradesh seems to have paid dividends with countries such as Australia, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, and the U.K. expressing their keen interest to work closely and explore mutually beneficial partnerships.
The Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) and the Federation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FTAPCCI) jointly organised the conference here on Friday.
The Consul Generals and their representatives of Australia, Malaysia, Russia, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Thailand, and Bulgaria said that they were looking for investment opportunities in sectors such as urban development, public infrastructure and safety, and health.
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Inaugurating the conference, Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinarajappa said that Andhra Pradesh was the fastest growing State in the country.
“Andhra Pradesh is an investor friendly State for many reasons, including policies, law and order, human and natural resources. It stands testimony to stronger partnerships across the world,” he said, adding: “Andhra Pradesh is a strong and reliable friend.”
“We desire to build strong, resilient, and sustainable partnerships with everybody by collaborating in mutual areas of interest.”
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APEDB Chief Executive Officer J. Krishna Kishore said that AP’s investment climate was getting stronger and better due the initiatives of the government. The commitment of the State was to provide external infrastructure, industrial water, developed land, 24×7 power and skill upgradation facilities to the industries, he said.
“The State is a formidable investment destination in India with a growth of 10.99 per cent in 2015, and 12 per cent in the first quarter of 2015-16. AP is offering round-the-clock power to consumers and would be generating 40,000 MW power in the next 15-20 years. Connectivity — air, port, rail and road, industrial corridors, SEZs, and CEZ, which is in the pipeline, are some of the feathers in the cap of AP,” he said.
Australian Deputy Consul General for South India Sophie, the Netherlands Business Support Office (Hyderabad) Chief Representative Ajay Justin Odathekal, the Government of Western Australia Trade and Investment Manager Bhanu Rahoni, Consulate of Russian Federation in Hyderabad Trade & Culture Advisor Y.S. Rajakumari, Republic of Bulgaria Consul Dr. Y. Kiran Kumar, Thailand Consul (Commercial) Jittima Nakamano, British High Commission Trade and Investment Advisor Joseph John, FTAPCCI president Ravindra Modi, and senior vice-president Gowra Srinivas spoke.