The unprecedented flood of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)s for investment in Telangana at the World Economic Forum, 2025 in Davos points to a favourable perception of the international business community towards the policies of the Congress party and increasing trust in the governance of Congress governments.
Interestingly, Telangana has never fared this good at Davos. In 2022, the state got investments of Rs 4,128 crore, and in 2023, Rs 19,900 crore. Since the Congress government took over in Telangana, the graph has only been rising. It was Rs 40,000 crore in 2024 and now, almost four times the last figure, Telangana has gathered Rs 1,78,950 crore proposed investments. This is estimated to create 49,550 jobs. For Hyderabad itself, IT majors like HCL will bring 5,000 jobs, Infosys 17,000, and Wipro 5,000.
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Sectors of investor interest were IT & data centres, pharmaceuticals, solar and green energy, aviation, rockets, defense, private industrial parks, food processing, semiconductors, and above all, manufacturing. Big investors are Amazon with Rs 60,000 crore for data centres and Sun Petrochemicals with Rs 45,500 crore for setting up pumped storage projects, besides other MoUs for new facilities or expansions.
The Telangana Development Model, on a path set before elections in the 2023 party manifesto, is succeeding due to three reasons. First, Innovation and Inclusion, which includes promoting new areas of investment, opening up sectors, and enabling nascent industries to grow, with a strict focus on employment for different educational backgrounds, skill development for future requirements, and opportunities for all segments of society.
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This is a breath of fresh air after the narrow and aggressively exclusivist politics of the Right, and the world seems to be ready for the broad and aggressively 'inclusive' agenda of the Congress party. After all, development with economic growth and business with a human face, are not just required for welfare, but also for thriving markets. Further, given the evolving picture of policy realignments after the US election, and in view of the decisions already announced by US President Donald Trump, Innovation and Inclusion could be the best position for India as a nation as well. In this, Telangana is already showing the way ahead.
Second, Harnessing Hyderabad. The capital of Telangana has always been ahead of the curve in imagining and implementing the next big thing. Hyderabad is a powerhouse of business, talent, resources, and most of all, human capital with unmatched intellect and work culture, which has put the city on the world map. Once again, with the Telangana government's focus on AI and the Future City, Hyderabad will play a vital role not just in the state but nationally. Needless to say, sectors like IT, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology remain the backbone of the city.
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Along with business, a thriving middle class has made Hyderabad a district with one of the highest Gross District Domestic Product at Rs 2.28 lakh crore, next only to Rangareddy. Clearly, Hyderabad had a key role to play in making Telangana's GDP grow at 9.2 percent, faster than the national GDP at 8.2 percent.
To absorb and sustain growth, the Future City is planned on over 10,000 acres about 50 km from Hyderabad. With a focus on new opportunities for growth and expansion, it is envisaged as a Net Zero Carbon city and will be a centre for Artificial Intelligence, IT, sports, and other sectors.
Third, Prepare and Plan. Seeing ahead of the curve is a strength, and Hyderabad and Telangana have always benefitted immensely due to this. At the centre of any future planning for Telangana is the planning required for Hyderabad, and this is visualized in Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's planning for zoned development, for example, around Hyderabad's Ring Roads network and connectivity of rural Telangana.
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History informs the decisions of present and future economic policies and planning. Congress party has always been committed to its agenda of inclusive growth and justice for all, which includes social, political, and economic justice.
One of the best periods of the Indian economy, when strong foundations were laid for a brilliant future, was during the tenure of former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh. The nation was on a path to development that was comprehensive, transparent, fair, and equal. Changing times have revealed that economies will grow in democracies that are fair and just to all. The principles that the Congress party has espoused, are the way forward for better economic growth, and also for better business.
Telangana will demonstrate how stable leadership with a clear agenda that is pro-poor, pro-farmer, pro-middle class, pro-women, will bring success not just to a few, but to everyone. As a state with a habit of trend-setting, Telangana is the torch-bearer of this new economic vision.
(Dr Kota Neelima is an author, AICC member, and politician from Telangana)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.
