KTR showcases Telangana as investment destination for French companies

IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao on Thursday made a strong pitch for investments in Telangana from French companies.

Hyderabad: IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao on Thursday made a strong pitch for investments in Telangana from French companies.

Hardselling the State’s USPs, the Minister offered ease of doing business with the TS-iPASS industrial policy that gave required clearances in 15 days based on self-certification by the companies, apart from listing out the myriad opportunities that Telangana offered for investment, ranging from in technology, lifesciences, automobiles, food processing and several other domains.

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”Many often take the Delhi, Mumbai or the Bengaluru route to invest. We urge the investors to come through Hyderabad. We meet or beat the support extended by other States,” he said.

Interacting with delegates of the French Business Mission from The Mouvement des entreprises de France (MEDEF) or the Movement of the Enterprises of France, the largest employer federation in France, here on Thursday, Rama Rao said Hyderabad was able to attract top companies like the Google, Microsoft, Meta, Qualcomm, Uber, SalesForce, Apple, Novartis, Safran, Sanofi and a host of others.

Hyderabad had more than 430 years of history and culture. The city was a hub for technology, vaccines, startups, aerospace and defence manufacturing, SMEs and more, he said, pointing out that the State government was working with the industry to ensure continuous supply of trained manpower. The State had set up T-Hub, the biggest startup incubator after the Paris-headquartered Station-F. The State had also created WE-Hub to support women entrepreneurs and T-Works, a prototyping facility, to help startups create new products.

Infrastructure on various fronts was being improved on a continuous basis. Hyderabad would also host the Formula E, among the fastest growing motorsport events in the world, in February next year, the Minister said, adding that the State provided quality power and water supply to domestic and industrial clusters. It had overcome a major water crisis with the creation of the Kaleshwaram Project, the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project. It pumped water from 82 m above the sea level to 618 m. This was also a key project that secured the drinking water needs of Hyderabad.

Ambassador of France in India Emmanuel Lenain said many French companies had put Telangana on a priority list for investments. “Safran is setting up an engine MRO here. Sanofi also has big plans. The Telangana State team delivers on its promises,” he said.

Paul Hermelin, chairman, France-India Business Council of MEDEF International and chairman of the Board of Capgemini, said the council chose Hyderabad for its visit to show the business-like approach of the Telangana government. Varied talent is available here. The visiting delegates are focused on sustainable solutions and hydrogen technologies among others.

MEDEF member Gerald Wolf, Telangana Industries and IT Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and Industries Special Secretary E Vishnu Vardhan Reddy were also present.