"Andhra Can Transform India Into Developed Nation In 10 Years": Nara Lokesh

Andhra Pradesh Minister of IT and Education Nara Lokesh has said that the southern state was aiming to emerge as India's number one region by leveraging its talent, technology and investment opportunities, adding that they are not just preparing for the DeepTech revolution, but are "building the ecosystem to lead it".

Addressing a Pan-IIT conference in Vijayawada, he said Andhra Pradesh was pursuing opportunities across sectors ranging from horticulture and space technology to drones, quantum computing and data centres.

"Our goal is to make Andhra Pradesh the No. 1 state in the country. We need all your support to achieve this," Lokesh said, inviting IIT directors, alumni, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to contribute their ideas and expertise to the State's development plans.

"We are keen to hear your suggestions and ideas. We are ready to learn," he added, underlining the government's intention to work with the academic and industrial ecosystem to translate its ambitions into concrete outcomes.

Asserting the state's goal to bring the world's best talent and technology to Andhra Pradesh and create world-class opportunities for young generation, he said, "Looking at the intellectual strength, talent, determination and positive leadership we have here, I believe we can transform India into a developed nation in just 10 years."

Lokesh said India had the talent, intellectual strength, determination and leadership needed to accelerate its development, arguing that the country could achieve developed-nation status within a decade.

"Andhra Pradesh, as a state, wants to lead this transformation," he further said.

Nara Lokesh called for collaboration among the 23 IITs, global alumni, investors and industry to establish Andhra Pradesh as a destination for deep technology and high-value investments.

'One Day World Will Talk About Amaravati'

The minister said Andhra Pradesh was seeking to create an environment in which government, private industry, research institutions and entrepreneurs could work together to turn new technologies and investment opportunities into economic growth.

Lokesh also invited the visiting delegates to see Amaravati, the State's proposed capital city, across the Krishna River from Vijayawada.

"We talk about cities such as Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore. A day will come when the country and the world talk about Amaravati...Our goal is to build a world-class capital city and make Amaravati a source of pride for the nation," he said while sharing his larger vision of development, propelled by State's Swarna Andhra 2047 goal and the national Viksit Bharat 2047 agenda.

He urged delegates to visit the capital region to understand the Chief Minister's vision and see the development underway.

Describing the coordination between the State and the Union governments, Lokesh referred to the partnership between Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a source of momentum for the State's development agenda. 

Meanwhile the Chief Minister, who was also the summit's chief guest, identified emerging technologies and research-led innovation as important components of the State's development strategy. He highlighted plans to develop quantum computing capabilities in Amaravati and expand the application of advanced technologies across sectors.

Professor V.Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, also emphasised the role of researchers in developing technology for India's long-term growth. Professor BS Murthy director IIT Hyderabad also praised the summit and it's role in advance discussions. on a proposed PanIIT Amaravati Council, a DeepTech venture fund, technology-transfer mechanisms, industry-backed academic chairs and a global IIT mentor network.

The PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026 brought together IIT leadership, industry executives, investors, startup founders and policymakers.