From drone taxis to $500 bn investment target: CM Naidu’s AP vision wins backing from India Inc

At the CII Partnership Summit, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu laid out an ambitious economic roadmap, promising to turn the state into a hub for innovation, investment, and job creation.

Naidu announced that drone taxis will take flight in India—starting from Andhra Pradesh—within the next two years.

He assured global and domestic investors of a frictionless environment, saying the state would launch escrow accounts soon, enabling investors to channel funds securely through banks. “We will implement sovereign guarantee if required,” he added.

Highlighting the state’s recent momentum, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh has attracted $20 billion in investments in the past 18 months, generating 20 lakh jobs, and is now targeting $500 billion in investments over the next three years, with the potential to create 50 lakh jobs.

Extending an open invitation to global investors, he said: “Once you commit investment, our people will be after you. You won’t need to follow up with us.” He emphasised his goal of building a “wealthy, healthy, happy society."

At the summit, Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv Ltd, underscored the group’s commitment to advancing skilling across the state. “We have invested significantly in skilling the youth of AP because they are the ones who will shape our collective future,” he said.

He highlighted the establishment of the Rahul Bajaj Centre of Excellence in Skilling, launched in partnership with CII, which now operates centres in Amaravati, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Sri City, with expansions underway into Rajahmundry and other regions.

Adani Ports & SEZ Managing Director Karan Adani delivered a strong endorsement of Naidu’s leadership, calling him “an institution” and “the original CEO of Andhra Pradesh.”

Adani also praised state IT Minister Nara Lokesh, calling him a “new-age leader” who is “agile, data-driven, deeply humane,” and whose initiatives in skilling and digital infrastructure were turning Andhra Pradesh into “India’s fastest-moving start-up state.”

Reaffirming the conglomerate’s long-term commitment, Adani said the group has already invested ₹40,000 crore in the state and will deploy an additional ₹1 lakh crore over the next decade across ports, logistics, cement, data centres, and energy.

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