Addressing the inaugural session of the 31st Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit 2026 at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh today, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal said that even as the world faces instability, conflicts and uncertainty, India is becoming a predictable, reliable and high-potential destination for global investors.
The minister linked the holy month of Kartik with the tradition of selfless offering of Deep Daanam i.e. lit lamp. He said that “One lamp loses nothing by lighting another lamp” and this best reflects the definition of partnership. He described the summit as yet another opportunity to “light up lives and uncover opportunities for trade and business”.
Visakhapatnam's display of resilience
Praising the courage and determination of Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh, Shri Goyal noted that despite Visakhapatnam facing two cyclones in a short period (on 28 October and 3 November), it was fully prepared to welcome international delegates, ministers and investors. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N. Gave it to the leadership of Chandrababu Naidu.
Andhra Pradesh Leadership: From Vision to Delivery
The Minister praised Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for his long-term vision, which includes being ahead of the times in envisioning the IT revolution and planning AI, Quantum Engineering, Data Centers and Quantum Valley in Amaravati. He said that while the world still talks about “ease of doing business”, Andhra Pradesh has taken the discussion towards “speed of doing business”.
He especially praised the state's escrow account system for timely payment of incentives to investors. He said Team India works together: the Center opens up global markets through trade agreements, while Andhra Pradesh converts those opportunities into factories, data centers and jobs.