In November 2025, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, played host to the 30th edition of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit. This grand event, inaugurated by the Vice President of India, C.P. Radhakrishnan, spanned from November 14 to 18, 2025, although the main summit activities took place on November 14 and 15.
The theme for this year's summit was "Technology, Trust and Trade: Navigating the New Geoeconomic Order." Organized collaboratively by CII, the Government of Andhra Pradesh, and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the summit attracted over 2,500 delegates, with 300 being international participants from 45 countries.
A significant highlight of the summit was the signing of 613 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), collectively valued at Rs 13.25 lakh crore, across 12 sectors. These agreements are projected to generate approximately 16.31 lakh jobs. Additionally, the summit saw the virtual participation of Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who laid the foundation stones for significant projects, including the Drone City and the Twin Space Cities.
The Drone City, located on a sprawling 300-acre site in Orvakal, Kurnool, is set to become India's epicenter for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) innovation and development. It will house Drone Design and Manufacturing Zones, Testing & Certification Corridors, and Research and Development (R&D) Innovation Centres. The facility aims to train around 25,000 drone pilots and technicians, creating over 40,000 jobs. To support this initiative, the Government of Andhra Pradesh will provide a 20% capital subsidy, 100% reimbursement of State Goods and Services Tax (SGST), and ready plug-and-play infrastructure.
Located in the Tirupati and Sri Sathya Sai districts, the Twin Space Cities aim to position Andhra Pradesh as the Space-Tech Capital of India. This ambitious project, with an investment target of Rs.25,000 crores, includes satellite design and manufacturing units, advanced testing labs, and collaboration platforms with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). To bolster this initiative, the government will implement the AP SpaceTech Policy 4.0 for 2025-30 and establish a Rs.100 crore AP SpaceTech Fund to support startups and R&D.
Established in 1895, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is a premier business association in India. Under the leadership of President Rajiv Memani and headquartered in New Delhi, CII continues to drive India's industrial growth and development.
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