Google’s $15 billion is just the beginning: Nara Lokesh on Andhra’s $1 trillion investment push

Andhra Pradesh IT & HRD Minister Nara Lokesh believes the state’s investment story has only just begun. After landing a $15 billion investment from Google, he says Andhra is now targeting investments worth $1 trillion across clean energy, technology, and manufacturing sectors — driven by what he calls a “double-engine bullet train government.”

In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18, Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh is witnessing a new wave of investor confidence. “Google’s investment is just the beginning. Andhra is now attracting investments across sectors — from blue-collar jobs all the way up to quantum computing,” he said.

He attributes the state’s rapid growth to three factors — “speed of doing business, leadership with a proven track record, and the double-engine bullet train government.”

Lokesh said Andhra’s approach is to fast-track decisions and clearances. “From the time we shake hands to the time land is ready for you to break the coconut, it takes not more than 30 days,” he said.

The state has also rolled out a new LIFT Policy, which offers land at competitive rates to Fortune 500 companies. “Through this, we’ve already given land to TCS, Cognizant, and others. Because Andhra was late to the IT game, we had to think outside the box,” Lokesh said.

Watch accompanying video for entire conversation.