📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Prime Minister's Office
Business
Naidu projects Southern India's economy to hit $10 trillion by 2047, urges greater state cooperation
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 21 Aug 2026, 08:34 AM
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Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the combined economy of South Indian states could reach $10 trillion by 2047 and called for deeper inter‑state collaboration.
Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu told The Indian Express that the aggregate gross domestic product of the southern states could climb to $10 trillion by the year 2047, a figure that would place the region among the world’s largest economies. He based the projection on the steady growth of sectors such as information technology, manufacturing, and services across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu emphasized that achieving this target would require a coordinated policy framework among the five states, including harmonised tax structures, shared infrastructure projects and joint promotion of foreign investment. He urged state governments to move beyond competitive posturing and adopt a collaborative approach that leverages each state’s comparative advantage.
The former chief minister also highlighted ongoing initiatives like the proposed South Indian Economic Corridor, which aims to link major ports, industrial parks and logistics hubs. He said such connectivity projects could cut transport costs, boost export potential and attract larger multinational corporations to set up regional headquarters.
While Naidu’s optimism reflects the strong growth trajectory of the South, analysts caution that macro‑economic challenges, skill gaps and uneven development could temper the forecast. Nonetheless, his call for greater inter‑state cooperation underscores a strategic shift toward regional integration as a driver of India’s future economic expansion.
Naidu emphasized that achieving this target would require a coordinated policy framework among the five states, including harmonised tax structures, shared infrastructure projects and joint promotion of foreign investment. He urged state governments to move beyond competitive posturing and adopt a collaborative approach that leverages each state’s comparative advantage.
The former chief minister also highlighted ongoing initiatives like the proposed South Indian Economic Corridor, which aims to link major ports, industrial parks and logistics hubs. He said such connectivity projects could cut transport costs, boost export potential and attract larger multinational corporations to set up regional headquarters.
While Naidu’s optimism reflects the strong growth trajectory of the South, analysts caution that macro‑economic challenges, skill gaps and uneven development could temper the forecast. Nonetheless, his call for greater inter‑state cooperation underscores a strategic shift toward regional integration as a driver of India’s future economic expansion.