India’s 1st Drone City Launched In AP; Union Minister Piyush Goyal emphasizes India’s growing leadership in semiconductors, clean energy and innovation-driven industries
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, November 14, 2025: Vice-President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan graced the inaugural session of the 30th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit as the Chief Guest in Visakhapatnam today.
Addressing a distinguished gathering of over 2,500 delegates including business leaders, policymakers, captains of industry, and global partners, the Vice-President underscored India’s accelerated industrial and economic growth under the leadership of Prime Minster Shri.Narendra Modi.
Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan highlighted that uplifting crores of people from poverty is the greatest achievement of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, made possible by stimulating sustained economic activity that generates wealth and opportunities.
The Vice-President praised the Government of Andhra Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, for creating one of the most conducive business environments in the country. He said the Chief Minister’s efforts in fostering innovation, infrastructure development, and a business-friendly ecosystem have positioned Andhra Pradesh as a national model for industrial growth.
The Vice-President elaborated on India’s position as the world’s fourth-largest economy and the fastest-growing major economy. He said the ease of doing business is at its best in India because reforms are taking place across every sector — be it labour laws, tax reforms, infrastructure development, or digital initiatives like Digital India. He said this is the right time to invest in India. He also highlighted that India now stands as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem and is poised to become a leading exporter of clean technology, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to environmentally sustainable development.
Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan reaffirmed India’s steadfast commitment to equitable and inclusive global collaborations, emphasizing that India treats all nations equally irrespective of their size. He expressed confidence in the State of Andhra Pradesh’s ambitious goal of achieving a trillion-dollar economy, emphasizing that this summit will serve as a pivotal platform for advancing technology, trust, and trade to foster inclusive growth and establish India as a global economic leader.
The Vice-President expressed optimism that Visakhapatnam will evolve into a paradise for investments and that Andhra Pradesh will become a hub for quantum technology and green hydrogen.
Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Shri S. Abdul Nazeer; Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu; Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal; Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu; Union Minister of State for Steel & Heavy Industries, Shri Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma; Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani; and other dignitaries were present at the summit.
The two-day 30th CII Partnership Summit, from 14th to 15th November 2025, is being organized by CII in partnership with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India and the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The state of Andhra Pradesh is hosting the summit for the fourth time.
The CII Summit is bringing together thought leaders, policymakers, industry captains, and global partners to shape the future of trade and investment. The theme for the summit is Technology, Trust and Trade: Navigating the New Geoeconomic Order. The marquee event features 45 sessions and 72 international speakers, with 2,500 delegates, including 300 overseas participants from 45 countries.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, while addressing the 30th edition of the CII Partnership Summit 2025 organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, highlighted India’s emergence as a trusted global partner and commended the immense contribution of Andhra Pradesh toward achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. He emphasized India’s growing leadership in semiconductors, clean energy and innovation-driven industries, underscoring the importance of trust, sustainability and policy stability as the foundation of India’s economic framework.
The event, held under the theme “Technology, Trust & Trade – Navigating the New Geoeconomic Order,” was inaugurated by the Vice President of India, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan, in the presence of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Syed Abdul Nazeer. Shri Piyush Goyal and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, delivered the keynote addresses.
Shri Goyal announced the launch of India’s first Drone City at Orvakal in Kurnool district, marking a major milestone in advancing India’s capabilities in next-generation aerospace and unmanned systems. The launch follows the foundation stone laying of the Kopparthy and Orvakal Industrial Nodes by the Prime Minister on 16 October 2025, underscoring the Government’s commitment to fast-paced progress across India’s industrial corridors. Developed in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the 300-acre Drone City is expected to generate over 40,000 jobs and will house the world’s largest common drone testing facility. It will serve as a fully integrated ecosystem for manufacturing, testing, research, repairs and development, bringing key components of drone innovation under one unified infrastructure.
NICDC is developing three major Greenfield Industrial Smart City nodes in Andhra Pradesh—Krishnapatnam, Orvakal and Kopparthy—located across different industrial corridors, reinforcing the state’s strategic importance in regional industrial development. These projects support the Make in India vision and offer world-class infrastructure for industries in logistics, aerospace, electronics and advanced manufacturing. The Summit also highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s emerging opportunities in green hydrogen, semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, coastal logistics, defence and drone sectors, positioning the state as a prominent hub for sustainable industrial growth.
Shri Rajat Kumar Saini, CEO & MD of NICDC, participated in a plenary session titled “Next-Gen Industrial Corridors 2.0: Building Smart, Connected Ecosystems for Industry 5.0.” He outlined NICDC’s vision of developing Greenfield Industrial Smart Cities as smart, resilient and sustainable hubs for manufacturing and innovation. He highlighted the integration of digital infrastructure, renewable energy, automation and data-driven governance to create globally competitive industrial ecosystems aligned with the Industry 5.0 vision.
The NICDC pavilion at the Summit recorded strong participation and engagement from global investors, policymakers and industry representatives. It showcased NICDC’s flagship initiatives, including Greenfield Industrial Smart Cities, the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP), Logistics Data Bank (LDB), India Industrial Land Bank (IILB) and PM MITRA Parks, illustrating NICDC’s integrated approach to building digital, efficient and sustainable industrial infrastructure. Delegates expressed notable interest in NICDC’s Smart City projects and digital platforms, seeking information on land availability, investment facilitation and collaboration opportunities under the Industrial Smart City development programme.
As the Government of India’s lead programme for industrial infrastructure development, NICDC continues to develop next-generation Greenfield Industrial Smart Cities under the Delhi–Mumbai, Chennai–Bengaluru, Amritsar–Kolkata, East Coast and other industrial corridors. Through advanced infrastructure and digital innovation, NICDC is driving India’s transition toward Industry 5.0, characterized by sustainability, technology integration and inclusive growth.
National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (NICDC), under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is mandated to develop world-class Greenfield Industrial Smart Cities that enhance manufacturing competitiveness, attract investment and generate employment. NICDC is implementing multiple city projects and digital initiatives such as ULIP, LDB and IILB, supporting India’s industrial and logistics transformation.
