Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has urged Czech companies to invest in districts beyond Bengaluru, identifying energy, automobile components, future mobility, aerospace and defence as priority areas for cooperation between the state and the Czech Republic.
Shivakumar made the appeal during a meeting with a Czech delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlicek at Vidhana Soudha. The meeting focused on investment opportunities and strengthening business cooperation between Karnataka and the European country.
“Karnataka will be a long-term partner of the Czech Republic, and Czech companies should invest in various districts of Karnataka instead of limiting themselves to Bengaluru,” Shivakumar said, according to a statement issued by his office.
The deputy chief minister highlighted Karnataka’s agricultural, forestry, horticulture and floriculture strengths while also pointing to opportunities in the energy sector. He said the state was home to some of India’s largest solar power plants and oldest hydroelectric power plants, while also having substantial energy requirements.
Shivakumar specifically invited Czech energy company EPH, or Energeticky a prumyslovy holding, to explore opportunities in Karnataka. He said the company did not currently have a presence in India.
In the automobile and future mobility sectors, the state government identified automobile components, electric vehicles, next-generation vehicles, testing and specialised manufacturing as possible areas of cooperation. Shivakumar also referred to a proposed memorandum of understanding between Czech-linked interests and Gopalan Aerospace, saying the partnership could create further opportunities for cooperation between Karnataka and the Czech Republic.
The state government said it would facilitate investments through Invest Karnataka, Karnataka Udyog Mitra, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board and the single-window clearance system. Shivakumar said the government’s priority was to attract investments that bring technology, strengthen local industry, create quality employment and support exports.
He also invited the AGROFERT group to consider Karnataka as an investment destination. According to the chief minister’s office, Czech expertise in precision engineering, machine tools, automobile components, industrial machinery, transport technologies and applied research aligns with Karnataka’s manufacturing, aerospace, electronics and technology sectors.
Shivakumar cited companies including Skoda Auto and Doosan Skoda Power as potential partners in manufacturing, engineering, sourcing and research. He also referred to the Tata AutoComp–Skoda Group partnership in railway components as an example of cooperation between Czech engineering capabilities and Indian manufacturing.
The discussions extended beyond trade and investment. Shivakumar called for partnerships between Czech technical universities and research institutions and Karnataka’s universities and industries to support applied research, skill development and the commercialisation of new technologies. He noted that India and the Czech Republic had agreed to a Strategic Partnership on Innovation in January 2024, creating a framework for cooperation in research, emerging technologies, industrial innovation and start-up linkages.
The Czech delegation included Deputy Foreign Minister Marie Chatardova, officials from the foreign affairs and industry and trade ministries, diplomatic representatives in India, and Jan Rafaj, president of the Confederation of Industry and Transport of the Czech Republic. The delegation’s India visit, scheduled from October 11 to 16 and including Bengaluru, is intended to identify investment opportunities and strengthen business cooperation, according to the chief minister’s office.
