Karnataka asks Czech companies to invest beyond Bengaluru

Karnataka’s Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar urged Czech companies to look beyond Bengaluru and explore investment opportunities across the State, particularly in energy, automobile manufacturing, aerospace, and defence.

Addressing a delegation led by Czech Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on October 14, Mr. Shivakumar said Karnataka could become a long-term partner for the Czech Republic, with opportunities for collaboration across several industries.

He invited Czech companies to consider the State as an investment destination, citing its strengths in agriculture, forestry, horticulture and floriculture, as well as its industrial and technology base.

“Karnataka is home to some of the country’s largest solar power plants and oldest hydroelectric plants. The State has substantial energy requirements, offering considerable scope for investment in the energy sector,” he said.

Discussion on automobile components

The two sides discussed cooperation in automobile components, electric vehicles and next-generation mobility, testing facilities and specialised manufacturing. The Chief Minister said he had also been informed of Czech interest in aerospace investments, which could open up further avenues for collaboration.

He said the State Government would assist interested companies through Invest Karnataka, Karnataka Udyog Mitra, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board and the single-window clearance system. These agencies could help investors identify suitable locations, understand approval requirements and coordinate with government departments.

“Our priority is to attract investments that bring technology, strengthen local industry, create quality jobs and support exports,” he said.

Mr. Shivakumar described Bengaluru as one of India’s leading centres for technology, research, and entrepreneurship, with a strong engineering workforce, industrial base and start-up ecosystem. These strengths could provide a platform for growth for Czech companies seeking to expand in India.

Precision engineering 

The Czech Republic has expertise in precision engineering, machinery, automobile components, transport technologies and applied research. These capabilities complement Karnataka’s manufacturing, aerospace, electronics, and technology sectors, he said.

The Chief Minister also called for cooperation beyond trade and investment, including partnerships between Czech technical universities and research institutions and their counterparts in Karnataka. Such collaborations could support applied research, skill development, and the commercialisation of emerging technologies.

India and the Czech Republic agreed to a Strategic Partnership on Innovation in January 2024, providing a framework for cooperation in research, emerging technologies, industrial innovation, and start-up links, he noted.

Referring to the presence of Czech companies such as Škoda and Bata in India, Mr. Shivakumar said the State needed to identify investment and business opportunities with a specific connection to Karnataka. He cited potential collaboration with Škoda Auto and Doosan Škoda Power in manufacturing, engineering, sourcing, and research.

He also pointed to the Tata AutoComp–Škoda Group partnership in railway components as an example of Czech engineering expertise being combined with Indian manufacturing, and called for similar opportunities to be explored with Karnataka-based companies.