Chandrababu Naidu hardsells Andhra Pradesh to foreign investors

Making a strong pitch before foreign investors at the World Economic Forum, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said the state offers great opportunities in areas ranging from technology to tourism to infrastructure to oil refineries.

"I am appealing to all investors from all over the world. My message is while looking at India, look at Andhra Pradesh. Everything is available in India," Naidu said.

On why foreign investors should come and invest in his state, he said, "What I am telling the investors here that there is a huge opportunity."

"Now India is a happening country and Andhra Pradesh is a trend-setter there and there are so many opportunities available there in this new state.

"Because of natural resources, we can do much better," Naidu told PTI in an interview here at the World Economic Forum summit during which he held a series of meetings with investors and government leaders from across the world.

Asked about the key sectors where he was looking at investors, Naidu said, "One is hardware manufacturing where we want to get into a big way. You know anything in hardware and you can manufacture in Andhra Pradesh."

"Then in software, social media and IT-related services, there is huge opportunity. We have a huge manpower in IT who are working all over the world. All new ideas can be implemented in our state. Then we offer huge opportunities in food and agro-processing.

"Even in mineral wealth, we have big potential. There are also areas like oil refinery, petro-chemical corridors among others. Even in tourism there are opportunities in beaches, eco tourism, summer resorts among others. In conventions and exhibitions also there are lot of opportunities," he added.

For infrastructure projects, the Chief Minister said many countries have already shown interest.

"Singapore government is preparing an action plan for our capital region, Japan is coming forward to help us and the best companies from across the world are coming forward to create infrastructure in our state.

"It will be a world class capital. It was a crisis, but it is also an opportunity," he added.