Karnataka CM Invites Global Investors, Promises Faster Clearances and Infrastructure Support

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday invited domestic and global investors to partner with the state, promising government support at every stage of investment and announcing a series of initiatives to promote industrial growth beyond Bengaluru.Addressing the curtain-raiser event for Invest Karnataka, he said the government was working to remove bottlenecks in ease of doing business, strengthen infrastructure, provide incentives for investments in backward regions and create employment opportunities across the state."I do not call you merely investors. You are influencers and ambassadors who have made Bengaluru and Karnataka proud. I believe many of you may not invest directly at this stage, but you can bring more investors to Karnataka," Shivakumar said.

He said Invest Karnataka, scheduled from April 20 to 22, 2027, would bring together investors and industry leaders from across the world, and expressed confidence that the event would help shape the state's economic future.Highlighting Karnataka's talent pool, he said the state produces 13,940 doctors and around 1.25 lakh paramedical professionals, including nurses, every year. More than 1.25 lakh engineers are also produced annually.Recalling Karnataka's pioneering role in power generation, he said Asia's first hydroelectric power generation facility was established at Shivanasamudra in 1902.

The state was now targeting around 24 GW of power capacity over the next five years, requiring investments of more than Rs three lakh crore in the sector alone.He said Karnataka had also established itself in aerospace, biotechnology, research and development, semiconductors, machine tools and electric mobility, with HAL playing a pioneering role in aviation.He said commercial land in Bengaluru could cost around one dollar per square foot, compared to approximately 3.5 dollars in Mumbai.

While acknowledging challenges relating to land acquisition and the pace of doing business, he assured investors that the government would work with them to resolve such issues."Companies do not grow on land alone. They grow on talent first, on trust, and the opportunity," he said underlining that the government recognised the importance of both employers and employees.The chief minister said the government had introduced the 'Shrama Nivasa' policy to provide housing facilities close to workplaces and reduce the need for employees to migrate to Bengaluru for jobs.

It was also offering additional incentives for industries investing in backward regions and generating local employment. The initiative would include support for housing and co-working spaces under the 'Live in Your Work' concept, he said.The government was bringing around 30 departments onto a common platform to strengthen the single-window clearance mechanism, with dedicated nodal officers to help investors resolve their problems through Karnataka Udyog Mitra.A separate department had also been established to deal with global investors and non-resident Indians, providing them dedicated assistance and opportunities to engage with the government, he said.He invited investors to participate in the Bengaluru Tech Summit scheduled from November 17 to 19, which was expected to attract more than 50,000 participants.On the aerospace and defence sector, Shivakumar said investments of more than Rs 60,000 crore had been attracted and around 60,000 jobs created.

The government was now looking at generating another five lakh employment opportunities and would address issues concerning the aerospace and defence investment promotion policy.He said the government was focusing on Kalyana Karnataka, Kittur Karnataka and other backward regions by offering additional incentives and strengthening industrial infrastructure."Bengaluru will continue to be our growth engine, but the next phase of development must involve every region," he said, identifying Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Tumakuru and Kalaburagi as places with considerable industrial potential.He said the government was strengthening industrial parks, roads, logistics facilities and business infrastructure and improving airport connectivity across the state.

Apart from developing Mangaluru, Hubballi and Belagavi airports, the government was expanding those in Shivamogga and Mysuru, and working on an airport for Vijayapura. Bidar already had airport connectivity, he said.The government was also expanding Metro connectivity and improving Bengaluru's urban infrastructure. Shivakumar said more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore was being invested in the city's infrastructure and mobility requirements, while around Rs 84,000 crore had been provided for capital expenditure in the 2026-27 Budget.

Stressing the importance of sustainable industrialisation, he said Karnataka was expanding renewable energy capacity.The government would stand with investors from the initial proposal to the completion of projects, and was open to genuine suggestions from industry leaders, he said."Trust is our greatest strength. You trust us, we trust you. We want you to be strong. If you are strong, we are strong. If you are weak, we are weak," he said.Inviting investors to bring their ideas, technology and partnerships to the state, he said, "joining together is the beginning, discussing together is the progress, and working together is success."