Davos 2026: I have changed the gear of speed of doing business, says Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said his government has shifted focus from “ease of doing business” to “speed of doing business,” underlining a more execution-driven governance model aimed at accelerating investments and economic growth in the state.

Speaking about his approach after taking charge as the CM, Naidu said decision-making and approvals are now being handled in real time. “Earlier, I used to work on the ease of doing business. Now I am moving to the speed of doing business. I have changed the gear. Everything is being cleared in real time, and that is how we are attracting huge investments,” he said, adding that the current phase represents “India’s time” in the global economic landscape.

Naidu also reflected on the impact of Andhra Pradesh’s bifurcation in 2014, noting that while the state lost Hyderabad to Telangana, he harboured no resentment. “Because of bifurcation, the city has gone to Telangana. I never claimed or bothered. As a matter of fact, I am very happy. They are also Telugu people, and one part of the community is benefiting,” he said. Acknowledging that Andhra Pradesh had lost certain advantages, Naidu said the state was now being put on a fast-track path to recovery and growth. “In another 10 years, Andhra Pradesh will be on track among the major states. I am confident of that,” he said.

Outlining his development vision, Naidu stressed the importance of inclusive and region-balanced growth. He said the government is working simultaneously on multiple growth centres, including Tirupati, Rayalaseema, Amaravati and Visakhapatnam. A key pillar of this strategy is the expansion of the MSME ecosystem. “We are planning 175 MSME parks. I want to promote the idea of one family, one entrepreneur,” he said.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the state’s push towards artificial intelligence-driven governance and innovation. He said the government aims to move further towards “one family, one AI use case,” encouraging households to adopt or develop AI-based solutions. An AI Living Lab, modelled on the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, is expected to be launched soon. “Very soon, the government itself is going to run on artificial intelligence,” Naidu said.

In addition, Andhra Pradesh is developing sector-specific industrial clusters, including space city, drone city, electronics city and semiconductor manufacturing hubs. “You name anything, we are starting it,” he said, expressing confidence in the state’s future growth trajectory.

Reflecting on his long association with the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Naidu said he has been attending the annual meeting since 1996. “Earlier, nobody used to recognise Indians. Today, everyone is acknowledging that this is India’s time,” he said, crediting the transformation to reforms undertaken over decades, including under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Naidu said Davos has been a key platform for learning, networking and translating global ideas into India’s development story, particularly in technology, infrastructure and investment-led growth.