Vice President Radhakrishnan closes CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam: turn pledges into outcomes, India must shape the new order

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Friday, November 13, told industry and government to turn investment commitments into concrete results, as he addressed the closing session of the 31st CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam. He praised Andhra Pradesh’s growth under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and said India wants to shape the emerging global economic order, not only take part in it.

Mr Naidu, speaking after the two-day summit, put its tally at 303 MoUs worth ₹9,88,957 crore, with the potential to create 3,48,309 jobs.

What the Vice President said

Mr Radhakrishnan said that since June 2024 the state has attracted 714 investment projects costing more than ₹22 lakh crore, a sign, he said, of strong investor confidence and quickening economic activity. He said the state’s “Swarna Andhra 2047” vision is in step with the Prime Minister’s “Viksit Bharat 2047” goal.

He named green energy, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technology, ports, aerospace and advanced manufacturing as the sectors whose investments are turning Andhra Pradesh into an emerging industrial and innovation hub. The Press Information Bureau’s account of his speech also records his description of the state as a key gateway for India’s global economic engagement.

Referring to this year’s theme, “Navigating the New World Order: Trade, Technology and Trust”, he said geopolitical uncertainty, technological shifts, climate change and changing supply chains are reshaping the global economy. Each period of uncertainty, he said, also brings opportunity, and the countries best placed to shape the future will be those that show adaptability, innovation and trusted partnerships.

Self-reliance, in his words

On Atmanirbhar Bharat, he said the idea should not be read as turning inward. It means building domestic capabilities, raising competitiveness and integrating more firmly with global markets. He pointed to the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and digital platforms, and to India’s young and skilled workforce and its entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Building a developed India, he said, cannot be left to the government alone. It needs industry, academia, entrepreneurs, young people and international partners, in line with the Prime Minister’s call for “Sabka Prayas”. He ended by asking all stakeholders to go beyond dialogue to action, turn opportunities into achievements and partnership into shared prosperity, and thanked the participating countries, international delegates and industry leaders.

The numbers from the two days

The tally has moved as the summit went on. At the close of the first day, the state said it had secured 88 agreements worth ₹5.84 lakh crore, potentially creating 1,07,693 jobs: 73 MoUs worth ₹5.35 lakh crore and 15 government orders worth ₹49,242 crore. The biggest single pledge was Reliance Industries’ ₹2.73 lakh crore project in East Godavari, with about 5,000 jobs. Greenko Energies committed ₹45,000 crore, Clean Max Enviro Energy Solutions ₹41,000 crore and Megha Engineering and Infrastructure ₹36,000 crore in Krishna district. Kia India announced ₹18,878 crore at Penukonda in Sri Sathya Sai district, adding 2 lakh vehicles of annual capacity.

By Friday’s press conference, Mr Naidu’s final count had grown to 303 MoUs and ₹9.89 lakh crore. When the summit opened on Thursday, the state had spoken of 141 MoUs and 30 government orders worth about ₹12.14 lakh crore lined up; the counts are not like for like, since the final figure is for MoUs alone and the state has not yet released a breakdown of the closing total.

Mr Naidu said the state will bring in real-time industrial clearances through self-certification, and will pass a law to protect investors’ interests if governments change.

Who was there

Governor S Abdul Nazeer, Mr Naidu, Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, state ministers Nara Lokesh and T G Bharat, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee and CII President-designate Dr Suchitra Ella attended the closing session.

Why it matters

Commitments are not factories. The Vice President’s own figures show the gap the state has to close: ₹22 lakh crore of projects since June 2024 have been announced, and what counts for jobs and revenue is how many reach the ground. Reports from the first day noted that Reliance’s pledge alone makes up a large share of the new announcements, and that the challenge will be to ensure the pipeline translates into factories.

What happens next

The state has promised the self-certification system and the investor-protection law, but gave no date for either in the reports available on Friday night. The breakdown of the final 303 MoUs by sector and district is still to come, and it will show how much of the ₹9.89 lakh crore rests on a few large projects. Delivery will be measured against the 714-project pipeline the Vice President cited.