Naidu seeks IIT alumni support for AP’s tech push

Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu said the state was developing 23 sectoral clusters and sought the support of alumni from all 23 IITs in providing expertise, industry connections and guidance for their development.. pic: TOI Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday sought the expertise and global network of the five-lakh-plus IIT alumni community to help develop the state’s technology and industrial ecosystem, while IT and Electronics minister Nara Lokesh called for greater collaboration among industry, academia and the govt to turn investments and technology proposals into projects.Addressing the maiden PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026 at Dr BR Ambedkar Kala Vedika in Vijayawada, Naidu said the state was developing 23 sectoral clusters and sought the support of alumni from all 23 IITs in providing expertise, industry connections and guidance for their development.He asked the PanIIT community to identify experts and share their contact details so that the state govt could directly engage with them and seek their guidance for the clusters. The clusters span areas including electronics, defence, aerospace, quantum technology, AI, semiconductors, agriculture, horticulture, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, automotive, solar and renewable energy.Naidu said the five-lakh-plus IIT alumni network represented a major pool of expertise that could contribute to AP’s development as well as the country’s growth. He called for industry, educational institutions and the govt to work together to build a technology-driven ecosystem in the state.The CM said the state was focusing on vertical and horizontal integration in developing the clusters, with companies involved in different stages of the supply chain being brought together within an ecosystem. He also stressed the need to connect industries with universities and research institutions to strengthen curricula, testing and research.Naidu called for stronger research infrastructure in educational institutions and said IIT-level laboratories should be developed to improve students’ technical capabilities. He said the govt could consider bearing up to 50% of the cost of such facilities, if required.He also said entrepreneurship skills should be introduced from Class VI and stressed the need to connect education, research and industry so that students could contribute to the state’s emerging technology ecosystem.Lokesh, addressing the summit, said the govt was seeking to build complete industrial ecosystems rather than merely attract individual investments. He said the state’s approach was based on speed, service and stability, with a focus on implementing projects and creating employment rather than limiting its efforts to signing MoUs.He said policies should be designed to withstand legal and political changes, adding that the govt was working towards creating systems that would continue to function beyond individual initiatives.Lokesh said the govt was also using AI to assist officials in formulating policies and govt orders. Citing teacher recruitment as an example, he said previous legal cases and orders had been analysed through an AI engine to help frame a recruitment policy and govt order capable of withstanding legal scrutiny.He said the govt was working with industries and institutions such as IIT Tirupati on curriculum changes, testing ecosystems and research. He also sought greater involvement of IIT alumni in guiding the state’s 23 clusters and strengthening its research and technology capabilities.The day-long summit brought together IIT leaders, policymakers, corporate CEOs, startup founders, investors, academicians, technology experts and innovators. According to the summit organisers, more than 800 delegates, including over 50 corporate CEOs and senior CXOs, as well as more than 100 unicorn founders, startup leaders and investors, participated in the event.The summit featured sessions on Energy in the Age of AI; DeepTech in All Walks of Life and Product Perfection; Space, Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing; Bio Valley, Health Access and Screening at Scale; and AgriTech, Farmers and Water Security. It also featured discussions on skilling and entrepreneurship, AI in governance and the Amaravati capital city.Three strategic closed-door roundtables were held with IIT directors, venture capitalists and family offices, and industry leaders and unicorn CXOs, focusing on partnerships, investments and institutional initiatives.The summit, themed “Andhra’s Resilient DeepTech Decade: Anchored by PanIIT — Swarna Andhra to Viksit Bharat 2047”, sought to connect the 23 IITs and the global IIT alumni network with Andhra Pradesh’s development priorities.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Vijayawada | Silver Rate in Vijayawada | Bank Holidays in Vijayawada | Public Holidays in Vijayawada | Petrol Price in Vijayawada | Diesel Price in Vijayawada | CNG Price in Vijayawada | LPG Price in VijayawadaStay updated with the latest Vijayawada news. Download the TOI App.