Karnataka invites Czech firms to invest in energy, aerospace and agriculture

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday invited corporate entities from the Czech Republic to channel capital into Karnataka across core domains including energy, aerospace, automotive manufacturing, defence and agriculture. The outreach came during a high-level bilateral meeting held at Vidhana Soudha, where a visiting European delegation engaged with state cabinet ministers to expand industrial cooperation.

The engagement forms a central pillar of efforts to bridge European precision manufacturing with South India's technology ecosystem. State administrators are seeking to diversify foreign direct investment away from IT services toward heavy engineering, renewable infrastructure and specialized agricultural processing.

The visiting foreign delegation was headed by Czech Republic First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek. He was accompanied by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Marie Chatardova alongside trade representatives and industrial executives.

State representation at the conference table included Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, Large and Medium Industries Minister MB Patil, Rajya Sabha Member Dr GC Chandrashekhar, and State Additional Chief Secretary Tushar Girinath. Discussions centered on aligning Czech competencies in machine tools, transport technology and applied research with local manufacturing priorities.

Addressing the delegation, Shivakumar urged foreign investors to examine opportunities beyond the state capital. He emphasized that districts across Karnataka offered suitable land banks and infrastructure for manufacturing plants, contrasting with urban congestion in Bengaluru.

Particular emphasis was laid on the energy sector, driven by the state's escalating power demands and established base in solar and hydroelectric installations. Officials specifically pointed to prospective engagement in electric vehicle components, next-generation transport testing, and specialized engineering.

Discussions also touched upon primary sectors such as horticulture, floriculture and forestry. State authorities noted that ongoing industrial dialogue with Central European firms would be steered through specialized agencies including Invest Karnataka and Karnataka Udyog Mitra to finalize concrete project frameworks.