AP Minister for IT&HR, Nara Lokesh (Fourth from the left) , at St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026 in Russia.
Andhra Pradesh Minister for IT & HR, Nara Lokesh, has invited the Russian companies engaged in space and technology to invest in the State. Speaking at the Russia–India Business Dialogue at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026, Lokesh said the state had `ambitious’ plans in the space, aerospace, semiconductor, and advanced manufacturing sectors and invited Russian companies to become long-term partners in Andhra Pradesh’s growth story.Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s strategic importance in India’s space ecosystem, Lokesh noted that the state’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre is India’s only operational spaceport and has been the launch site for more than 100 space missions.“India’s only operational space port, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, is in my state of Andhra Pradesh. More than 100 missions have been launched from the State,’’ he said. The State Government had unveiled its Space Policy 4.0 and was developing dedicated space cities to support research, satellite development, launch systems, and deep-tech innovation. A key component of the initiative is the proposed Tirupati Space City, spread across 3,000 acres near Sriharikota, which was being developed as a hub for launch vehicle assembly, satellite manufacturing, avionics production, and next-generation space technologies, the AP Minister said. “We aspire to attract close to $4 billion dollars of investment into this ecosystem. Andhra Pradesh is the natural home for Roscosmos technology partners, propulsion systems, satellite integrators, and space-tech enterprises who want to be part of the world’s fastest-growing space economy,’’ Lokesh said. Investment opportunitiesBeyond space technology, the Minister highlighted investment opportunities in aerospace, energy, semiconductors, microelectronics, quantum computing, advanced healthcare technologies, and commodities. He noted that Andhra Pradesh is already one of India’s largest exporters of rice and shrimp to Russia.Lokesh also discussed an emerging advanced manufacturing corridor in Sri Sathya Sai District, strategically located near Bengaluru, as a promising destination for aerospace, avionics, drone manufacturing, naval systems, and semiconductor industries.“As India expands domestic manufacturing under Atma Nirbhar Bharat, Andhra Pradesh is creating dedicated clusters for aerospace components, avionics, drones, naval systems, and semiconductors,’’ Lokesh said, according to a release. Published on June 4, 2026
