Nara Lokesh Engages Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja on Anantapur EV Manufacturing Plans

During his visit to the United States, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh engaged with prominent Indian-origin business leaders. Among them were Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Adobe's Shantanu Narayen, and Apple's Priya Balasubramaniam. Lokesh aimed to attract investments in sectors like AI, manufacturing, agritech, and e-governance. His week-long trip included meetings with major corporations such as Microsoft, Adobe, Apple, Tesla, and the Ross Perot Group.

Representative image

Lokesh's discussions with Tesla's new CFO Vaibhav Taneja focused on Tesla's plans in India. He highlighted Anantapur as an ideal location for Tesla's EV and battery units. "Visited @Tesla HQ in Austin and pitched Anantapur as the perfect spot for Teslas EV and battery units! Had an inspiring discussion with CFO Vaibhav Taneja about transforming Andhra Pradesh into an EV manufacturing hub," he shared on social media.

Investment Opportunities in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh is aiming to achieve 72 GW of renewable energy by 2029. Lokesh expressed readiness to lead the green energy initiative and collaborate with global innovators like Tesla. He has been promoting new policies introduced by the Chandrababu Naidu administration, including industrial policies, clean energy policy, and private parks policy.

The state's extensive coastline of over 975 km offers opportunities for large corporations to establish manufacturing facilities. Lokesh also discussed upcoming urban areas in Vizag and Amaravati that could support large IT/AI clusters developed by companies like Adobe and Microsoft.

In a meeting with Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Lokesh outlined plans for an AI University in Amaravati. He sought Huang's support and guidance for this project. Additionally, he met Ross Perot Jr of the Ross Perot Group to discuss developing the coastal region as an industrial and logistics park similar to their Alliance Texas project.

Collaborations with Global Tech Leaders

After meeting Lokesh, Serentica Global, a subsidiary of Vedanta Group, announced plans to develop over 10,000 MW of renewable energy capacity in Andhra Pradesh. This project involves an investment exceeding Rs 60,000 crore. Lokesh serves as the IT, electronics, and HR minister of Andhra Pradesh and was recently appointed Chairman of a Group of Ministers on job creation.

In this role, he collaborates with leading investors across sectors like manufacturing, clean energy, IT, AI, and e-governance to generate large-scale employment opportunities. "Had an insightful meeting with @satyanadella, CEO of @Microsoft. Sought his valuable guidance and support in advancing IT, AI, and skill development in Andhra Pradesh," he stated regarding his meeting with Microsoft's CEO.

During his meeting with Adobe's Narayen in San Francisco, Lokesh promoted Andhra Pradesh as a prime investment destination. He highlighted the state's forward-thinking policies that are friendly to investors. "We explored Adobes potential collaboration in transforming e-governance and digital education across Andhra Pradesh," he said.

Promoting Andhra Pradesh's Talented Workforce

Lokesh also visited Apple's corporate headquarters in San Francisco. He met with VP of Operations Priya Balasubramaniam and emphasized the skills of Andhra Pradesh's youth that align with Apple's operational standards. "I invited Apple to grow its operations in Andhra Pradesh," he mentioned.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh is prepared to provide all necessary support for setting up manufacturing units at their chosen location within the state. Lokesh continues to advocate for investments that can drive economic growth and job creation across various sectors.