South Korean automobile giant Kia Motors’ investment of Rs 13,500 crore in Anantapur led the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the state in 2017. But since 2024, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s second term has seen a spurt in investments across various sectors, from energy to defence.“We have planned to prioritise the Anantapur -Kurnool corridor as a core industrial development zone, focusing on large-scale manufacturing, textiles, aerospace, and renewable energy. Our aim is to actively transform the drought-prone Rayalaseema region through focused activity to enhance economic growth and better people’s lives,” Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister TG Bharath told ThePrint on key strategic initiatives for the region.
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Kia investment opens gate for more
Kia’s investment set up Anantapur as the hub of all automotive and ancillary industries, spurring further investments worth Rs 4,790 crore by firms such as the Raymond Group, Faurecia, and NDR Auto Components.One of the more significant investments was by renewable energy firm ReNew, which paved the way for companies in the clean energy sector.ReNew, India’s first renewable energy firm to be listed on US stock exchange NASDAQ, pledged an investment of Rs 22,000 crore to build one of India’s largest single-site renewable energy complexes in the district, integrating solar, wind and battery storage. The scale of ReNew’s investment proposed in 2025 drew attention from investors across the country for being India’s largest single-location hybrid renewable energy complex at Anantapur. It promises to deliver a staggering 1,800 MW of solar, 1,000 MW of wind, and 2,000 MWh of battery storage. Infographics:Jeyasri A T/ThePrint
