Davos 2026: CM Naidu seeks Swiss investments, says AP has workforce to match industry needs

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said the state is prepared with a skilled workforce to meet the requirements of global industries, as he stepped up outreach to attract European investments on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Speaking in Zurich, the Chief Minister appealed to Mridul Kumar, India's Ambassador to Switzerland, to extend cooperation in facilitating investments by Swiss companies in Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu met the Indian Ambassador after arriving in Zurich on the first day of his four-day visit to Switzerland to participate in World Economic Forum sessions. Ministers Nara Lokesh and TG Venkatesh were also present at the meeting.

During the interaction, the Chief Minister discussed the scope for Swiss investments in Andhra Pradesh across multiple sectors. When Ambassador Mridul Kumar pointed out that Switzerland is ahead in pharma, medical equipment, heavy machinery, hardware, electronics, rail components, textiles and research, Naidu highlighted investment opportunities in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in pharma and medical equipment manufacturing.

The Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh had rolled out 25 new policies aimed at accelerating industrial development. He added that the state government is giving priority to artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, while also placing special focus on skill development among youth to meet global demand for a skilled workforce.

Ambassador Mridul Kumar noted that Andhra Pradesh had attracted investments worth Rs 2 lakh crore following initiatives taken by Chandrababu Naidu during last year's Davos WEF session. He also referred to Liechtenstein as an example of a small European country that achieved rapid growth through the use of artificial intelligence technology, adding that a delegation from Liechtenstein was also participating in the WEF sessions.

Responding to this, the Chief Minister said he would hold discussions with the Liechtenstein delegation during the forum.

Minister for Human Resources and Skill Development Nara Lokesh briefed the Indian Ambassador on Andhra Pradesh's skill development initiatives and sought his cooperation in facilitating investments by Swiss companies in the state. He said Andhra Pradesh is ready with trained manpower and added that the drone sector in the state has seen significant improvement, with platforms now capable of carrying payloads of up to 100 kg.

Earlier, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu received a grand welcome at Zurich airport, where members of the Telugu community gathered to receive him. The Chief Minister interacted with those who had come to welcome him.

Among those who greeted Naidu earlier were Dharman Shanmugaratnam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group.