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At the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information Technology Nara Lokesh said the state is positioning itself as one of India\u2019s fastest-moving investment destinations by prioritising what he described as the \u201cspeed of doing business.\u201d Speaking on the sidelines of the summit, Lokesh said India is entering an exciting phase where competitive federalism is pushing states to sharpen execution and reform delivery.<\/p>
\u201cI think this is an exciting time for India. It\u2019s really exciting to see states compete,\u201d Lokesh said, noting that such competition has brought greater alignment between politics and bureaucracy. \u201cOur motto is speed of doing business. That is what differentiates us from other states. Companies that choose speed, choose Andhra Pradesh,\u201d he said.<\/p>
Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh has built systems that allow projects to move rapidly from approval to execution. \u201cProjects that were stalled in other states for over a decade are moving in less than 12 months in Andhra Pradesh,\u201d he said, adding that the state\u2019s focus is not on slogans but on sustained delivery. According to him, concentrating on speed automatically improves ease of doing business. \u201cWhen you focus on the speed of doing business, ease of doing business is a byproduct,\u201d he said.<\/p>
Addressing whether the state\u2019s reform trajectory mirrors that of the Centre or follows a different sequencing, Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh closely studies national reforms before implementing them in a way that suits local needs. \u201cWe always have to look at the reform cycle, understand its implications and then implement it,\u201d he said. He described Andhra Pradesh as a potential \u201cposter child of reforms,\u201d noting that the current leadership brings fresh energy to governance.<\/p>
Pointing to the political composition of the state, Lokesh said: \u201cFifty per cent of the legislature are first-timers, and 17 out of 25 ministers are first-time ministers. So we bring in raw energy to really transform the state.\u201d He added that the government is keen to pilot and lead reforms announced by the Centre. \u201cThe agenda the honourable Prime Minister has set\u2014we want to pilot it, we want to lead it, and we want to make Andhra Pradesh number one across every sector,\u201d he said.<\/p>
Lokesh also highlighted broader reforms underway at the national level under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including decriminalisation of laws, labour reforms, and changes in taxation and the nuclear power sector. He said 2025 had already been a year of \u201cmassive reforms\u201d at the Union level and that the reform momentum is expected to continue in 2026.<\/p>
According to Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh aims to leverage this environment by combining speed, policy clarity and execution to attract global investors and strengthen India\u2019s competitiveness on the world stage.<\/p>