Karnataka Seeks Investment from Liechtenstein, EFTA

Bengaluru, Jan 23 (PTI) The Karnataka government has appealed to the Prime Minister of Liechtenstein to direct a major share of investment commitments under the European Free Trade Association agreement to the state, Minister M B Patil said on Friday.

Patil, who is participating in the World Economic Forum in Davos, said he met Liechtenstein Prime Minister Brigitte Haas and held discussions on strengthening bilateral ties by leveraging the country's industrial expertise and Karnataka's manufacturing and innovation ecosystem.

He added that an invitation was extended to the prime minister to visit the state to further bolster trade relations.

The minister also held detailed discussions with Michael Punke, Vice-President of Amazon Web Services (AWS), a leading global cloud computing and digital infrastructure company, on attracting more international cloud and infrastructure firms to Karnataka.


"Michael Punke expressed deep appreciation for the state's abundant pool of skilled professionals, start-ups and digital infrastructure. The state government has assured that it would meet all requirements of global cloud and data centre operators," Patil said in a statement.

Information was also shared on incentives available in Karnataka for the cloud computing sector, as well as on power availability and infrastructure ready for immediate deployment.

According to the statement, automobile manufacturer Volvo expressed satisfaction with Karnataka's industry-friendly environment.

The company has been invited to expand its vehicle manufacturing activities in the state by leveraging Karnataka's strengths in technology, manufacturing and skilled manpower, it added.

Liechtenstein is a German-speaking principality nestled in the Alps, bordered by Switzerland and Austria.