Babu unveils Swarna Andhra Pradesh vision at ISB Summit

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu delivered an expansive and politically charged address at the South Asia Learning Summit-2026 held at the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, outlining his journey from transforming Hyderabad into a global IT hub to his ambitious roadmap for building a “Swarna Andhra Pradesh.”

Speaking on the theme “The Future of Everything,” Naidu combined personal political reflections with a forward-looking governance blueprint, stressing that development, welfare, and good governance must function as three interlinked pillars. Recounting his tenure as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh in the late 1990s, Naidu described how Hyderabad evolved from what he called “barren land filled with shrubs” into a global technology destination.

HITEC City was completed in 15 months

Naidu detailed how the now-iconic HITEC City was completed in just 15 months through a public-private partnership, despite initial hesitation from developers. He also recalled persuading Microsoft founder Bill Gates to establish operations in Hyderabad after an extended interaction, calling it a turning point in positioning the city on the global IT map.

The Chief Minister also highlighted his role in bringing ISB to Hyderabad, stating that he personally engaged with global stakeholders and offered competitive incentives to secure the institution for the city. He similarly pointed to the development of Shamshabad International Airport as a greenfield project after scaling up traffic at Begumpet airport. He credited these initiatives, along with institutions like IIIT, NALSAR, and Genome Valley, as foundational to Hyderabad’s emergence as a knowledge and innovation hub.

Naidu struck a reflective tone while discussing political setbacks. Despite rapid development between 1999 and 2004, he acknowledged electoral defeat, attributing it partly to an “overemphasis on development” at the cost of political balance. He also referenced subsequent setbacks in 2019, stating that such experiences strengthened his resolve and governance approach.

AP attracted Rs 20 lakh cr in 21 months

Turning to the present, Naidu said the 2024 electoral mandate has given him a renewed opportunity to rebuild Andhra Pradesh post-bifurcation. He claimed that the state has already attracted investments worth ₹20 lakh crore in the past 21 months, with a target of generating 20 lakh jobs.

He highlighted upcoming projects, including large-scale data centres by global players like Google and Reliance, and major industrial investments such as a new steel plant. The state’s Vision 2047 aims to sustain a 15% annual growth rate and position Andhra Pradesh as India’s leading economy.

Reaffirming his commitment to Amaravati, Naidu described it as more than a capital, “the future of Andhra Pradesh.” He recalled the voluntary land pooling by over 29,000 farmers and pledged to rebuild the city as a “world-class, most liveable city.”

In a notable policy pitch, Naidu introduced the concept of P4 (People-Public-Private Partnership for Philanthropy), aimed at reducing socio-economic disparities. He proposed the “MBK 10-20” model, urging the top 10% of society to mentor and support the bottom 20% of vulnerable families. “Creating wealth alone is not enough, guiding and uplifting others is equally important,” he said, calling on industry leaders to embrace social responsibility alongside economic growth.

Naidu concluded by emphasising Andhra Pradesh’s strengths in sectors such as horticulture, aquaculture, and renewable energy, while predicting that India would emerge as a global hub for data centres.