South India Gears Up for Viksit Bharat, What's Next?

In a powerful show of intent and action, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) recently held a high-level Investors Roundtable in Bengaluru, reaffirming its ambitious vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 — a fully developed India by the 100th year of independence. The focus? Southern India’s emerging industrial nodes and the role they will play in transforming India’s economic landscape.

Held in India’s tech capital, the roundtable wasn’t just another bureaucratic meet — it brought together policymakers, industrialists, MSMEs, and startup leaders under one roof, putting the spotlight on how India’s southern industrial corridors could become the bedrock of a globally competitive manufacturing ecosystem.

From Empty Land to Smart Cities: Six Southern Nodes in Focus

The core highlight of the conference was the detailed roadmap laid out for six greenfield industrial nodes — Tumakuru, Krishnapatnam, Kopparthy, Orvakal, Zaheerabad, and Palakkad. Developed under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) by the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC), these locations are envisioned as smart, future-ready cities.

From electronics and cleantech to pharmaceuticals, automobiles, food processing, and logistics, these hubs are being tailored to cater to diverse sectors. Equipped with next-gen infrastructure, multimodal connectivity, and streamlined approvals, these nodes are attracting investor interest for all the right reasons.

Tumakuru: A Star in the Making

Among these, Tumakuru stood out as a flagship project. Spread over 8,484 acres, this industrial area is part of the Chennai–Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC). Already in Phase A development across 1,722 acres, Tumakuru benefits from strategic proximity to NH-48, railway lines, and the Bengaluru International Airport — making it ripe for becoming a manufacturing powerhouse.

DPIIT Pushes the Pedal on Reforms

The DPIIT used this platform not just to showcase infrastructure, but to reinforce its commitment to improving the business environment in India. Senior officials presented updates on national reform initiatives like:

• Startup India

• Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP)

• National Single Window System (NSWS)

• Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS)

These are not just buzzwords anymore — they’re shaping real-world investor decisions and making India a more attractive destination for manufacturing and entrepreneurship.

What made the roundtable standout was its openness. Representatives from CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, KASSIA, and the Peenya Industrial Association, as well as MSMEs and startups, were not just spectators but participants in a rich dialogue.

They discussed on-ground realities — from land access and infrastructure needs to policy support for startups and innovation hubs. This wasn’t about top-down instructions; it was about co-creating a blueprint for the industrial future of South India.

States in Sync: Closed-Door Conclave with Southern Governments

Beyond the roundtable, DPIIT Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia held a strategic meeting with senior officials from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Puducherry, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The agenda: aligning state-level policies with national industrial goals and fast-tracking infrastructure rollouts. The emphasis was clear — Centre-State synergy isn’t optional anymore, it’s essential.

In a move that shows the government's growing focus on startup-led industrial innovation, the DPIIT delegation visited the K-tech MeitY-Nasscom Centre of Excellence for IoT & AI in Bengaluru. Conversations with deep-tech startup founders revolved around real-world hurdles and what policy tweaks could help them scale.

The delegation also made site visits to the Tumakuru Industrial Area and the Devanahalli Aerospace SEZ, including a walk-through of Dynamatic Technologies, an aerospace manufacturer contributing to India’s growing space and defence capabilities.

“Infrastructure is Not Enough, Innovation Must Lead”

Addressing the roundtable, Secretary Bhatia delivered a clear message: “Building world-class infrastructure and enabling innovation-led manufacturing require unified efforts across all levels of governance.” He emphasized DPIIT’s ongoing work to empower MSMEs, startups, and foreign investors, all of whom play vital roles in India’s industrial rise.

The Bengaluru roundtable may have wrapped up in a day, but the ripples it created will last much longer. With heavy participation from senior government officials like Sanjay Kumar (Telangana), Dr. S. Selvakumar (Karnataka), Dr. N. Yuvaraj (Andhra Pradesh) and top functionaries from Invest India and NICDC, the event has set the tone for what’s to come.

India’s southern industrial nodes, backed by solid planning and forward-thinking governance, are no longer ideas on paper. They are building blocks of a developed India, and the investment ecosystem is taking notice.