Bengaluru: Karnataka has set an ambitious target of attracting investments worth Rs 7.5 lakh crore and generating 20 lakh jobs by 2030, with the next edition of the Global Investors Meet (GIM) scheduled to be held at Bengaluru’s Palace Grounds from April 20 to 22, 2027.Announcing the dates at the curtain-raiser event on Thursday, industries minister M B Patil said the govt was preparing to make the three-day event a truly global initiative, with a series of international outreach programmes to take Karnataka’s investment opportunities directly to investors in their respective countries and markets. As part of the preparations, govt unveiled the Aerospace and Defence Policy 2026-31 and launched the KIADB Digital Industrial Land Bank along with the third edition of VentuRISE.“Although the digital land bank and VentuRISE initiatives serve different purposes, they complement each other. One focuses on building the companies of tomorrow, while the other makes it easier to establish those businesses today. Together, these initiatives capture the central idea behind the Global Investors Meet 2027 — backing ambition with effective implementation,” Patil said.Highlighting the progress made since the previous GIM in 2025, he said Karnataka had received investment commitments worth approximately Rs 10.27 lakh crore, exceeding govt’s expectations. Around 65% of the manufacturing investments had already been converted into projects, with land allotments, approvals and construction progressing across the state. “The real measure of the success of an investors’ meet is not the day the MoUs are signed, but the day the factories begin operations,” he said.Investments by companies such as DN Solutions, Krones, Nidec and Foxconn had become operational in record time, while major projects by Lam Research, Applied Materials, MV, Wipro Electronic Materials, Jindal Aluminium and Mahindra Aerospace were progressing. The govt will also organise a dedicated investors’ conclave in North Karnataka to showcase opportunities in Kalyana Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka regions. “We want these regions to attract investments on a scale they have never witnessed before,” he said.Chief minister D K Shivakumar, inviting domestic and international investors to partner with Karnataka, said the state was positioning itself as a leading destination for semiconductors, aerospace, space technology, artificial intelligence, clean energy, life sciences and electric mobility. “This is not just an investment summit. It is an opportunity to shape Karnataka’s future. Bring your ideas. Bring your investments. We will build the future together,” he said.Highlighting the state’s economic performance, Shivakumar said Karnataka’s economy grew by 8% last year, outperforming the national growth rate. The state had the highest per capita income among India’s major states and the second-highest GST collections after Maharashtra. Karnataka attracted nearly USD 13 billion in foreign direct investment last year and is home to more than 1,100 global capability centres (GCCs), the highest in the country. It contributes over 40% of India’s software exports, while nearly two-thirds of the country’s aerospace exports originate from the state, he said.Under the Industrial Policy 2025-30, govt has set the target of attracting Rs 7.5 lakh crore in investments and creating 20 lakh jobs. The Aerospace and Defence Policy 2026-31 aims to attract Rs 60,000 crore and generate 60,000 jobs, while the Textile and Apparel Policy 2026-31 targets Rs 20,000 crore in investments and five lakh jobs.To encourage industries in backward regions, eligible units will receive additional incentives, including capital subsidies of up to 20% in the most backward and priority taluks. Shivakumar said the next phase of Karnataka’s economic growth would extend beyond Bengaluru to Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Tumakuru and Kalaburagi. Govt is promoting at least five industrial and innovation clusters outside Bengaluru, besides strengthening industrial parks, roads, logistics and regional connectivity.On infrastructure, he said the 2026-27 state budget had earmarked Rs 84,567 crore for capital expenditure, with investments planned in roads, railways, airports, industrial land, reliable power supply, Metro expansion and the Bengaluru Suburban Rail project. He also said nearly 70% of Karnataka’s installed power capacity came from renewable sources, adding that govt was expanding solar and wind generation and focusing on energy storage. “We want Karnataka to be not just an industrial hub, but a clean industrial hub,” he said.
