Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday, 12 November 2026, announced that the state government will enact an Investors Protection Act, making Andhra Pradesh the first state in India to introduce a dedicated legal framework for safeguarding investments. The announcement was made at the inaugural session of the 31st CII Partnership Summit 2026 in Visakhapatnam.

What the Investors Protection Act Proposes

Lokesh, who serves as Minister for Human Resources Development, Information Technology, Electronics and Real Time Governance, said the proposed legislation would give industrialists greater confidence and assurance, encouraging higher investment commitments in the state. “Such legislation will provide greater confidence and assurance to industrialists and encourage them to invest,” he said.

Building on what officials described as a pioneering initiative of providing escrow accounts for investors, the state aims to extend that protection into a full statutory framework. Lokesh also requested Union Minister of Trade and Commerce Piyush Goyal to facilitate policy clearance and implementation at the national level.

Andhra Pradesh’s Investment Pipeline

The minister revealed that since June 2024, Andhra Pradesh has received investment commitments worth ₹22.6 lakh crore. Of these, 73 per cent have been converted into approved projects worth ₹17.2 lakh crore, with the potential to generate employment for 12.7 lakh people.

Notably, 51 per cent of approved projects have already reached the ground-level implementation stage. Projects worth ₹5.9 lakh crore, with the potential to create 7.4 lakh jobs, have commenced construction, Lokesh said.

Key Economic Strengths the State Highlighted

Lokesh used the summit platform to present Andhra Pradesh’s economic case to global industrialists. He cited the state’s coastline of more than 1,000 kilometres, with the port of Visakhapatnam and other ports currently handling approximately 100 million tonnes of cargo annually. Four new greenfield ports are under construction at Ramayapatnam, Mulapeta, Machilipatnam, and Kakinada, which are expected to double the state’s cargo-handling capacity.

The minister also noted that approximately one-third of India’s seafood exports by volume originate from Andhra Pradesh’s coastline, and nearly 80 per cent of India’s shrimp exports come from Andhra farms. He added that nearly 60 per cent of India’s air conditioners are manufactured at a single location in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh.

Further, the state accounts for more than 40 per cent of India’s cocoa production, more than 40 per cent of dry chilli production from the Guntur region, and approximately 16 per cent of national fruit production, making it India’s largest fruit-producing state. Andhra Pradesh also ranks first nationally in fish and egg production, and contributes more than half of India’s FCV tobacco output.

Kia Plant and Industrial Milestones

Lokesh pointed to the Kia manufacturing facility in Anantapur as a model of industrial success. Since commencing production in 2019, the plant has rolled out nearly 1.9 million cars, with exports reaching more than 90 countries.

He urged global industrialists not merely to visit Andhra Pradesh but to invest, innovate, and grow there — making the state their “corporate home.” With the Investors Protection Act in the pipeline, the state government appears set to institutionalise those assurances in law.