Nara Lokesh Invites Foxconn to Establish Mega Manufacturing City in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh's Minister for Education, Information Technology, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, met with representatives from Foxconn on Monday, extending an invitation to the company to develop a "manufacturing city" in the state. The meeting, held at Lokesh's residence in Undavalli, centered on the state government's commitment to providing all necessary facilities to support Foxconn's expansion plans.

Lokesh urged Foxconn to go beyond establishing a single unit and instead create a mega manufacturing city that would significantly boost job creation in Andhra Pradesh. "Since you are planning to expand your activities across India, I want you to establish, not a mere one more unit, but a mega manufacturing city in the state. We will extend all cooperation for this," Lokesh told the delegation, reaffirming the government's target of generating 20 lakh jobs for the youth.

The minister assured the Foxconn team of his personal involvement in facilitating the project, promising to develop a special plan to ensure the city's successful establishment. Lokesh also highlighted the resources available in Andhra Pradesh and outlined the steps taken by the state government from 2014 to 2019, under the TDP's leadership, to attract investments, including the establishment of IT companies.

Foxconn's Indian representative, V Lee, commended former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's efforts in attracting investments to the state and expressed the company's strong relationship with Andhra Pradesh. Lee indicated that Foxconn, which operates multiple units worldwide, is considering expanding its activities in India, with a decision to be made following discussions with state officials.

The official statement from Foxconn confirmed the company's readiness to establish units for electric vehicle manufacturing, semiconductors, digital health, and manufacturing components in Andhra Pradesh. V Lee also assured Lokesh that Foxconn is committed to contributing to the creation of 20 lakh jobs in the state, with the company agreeing in principle to make significant investments and provide large-scale employment opportunities for the youth.

Lokesh urged the Foxconn team to begin their preparations as soon as possible. The meeting was attended by several key figures, including Senthil Kumar, Director of the Foxconn Chairman’s office; Bharat Dandi, Deputy Director; Vector Chen, Manager; and Sourabh Gour, Principal Secretary of IT and Electronics.