AP ranks fifth in Export Preparation Index: Niti Aayog

Amaravati: Rated as a star performer due to its aggressive push for improving industrial infrastructure, business ecosystem and policies with thrust on speed, Andhra Pradesh has secured fifth position among large States in the Exports Preparedness Index (EPI) released recently by NITI Aayog. The State has secured 60.65 marks out of 100, as the central plan panel made the ranking based on 70 parameters. The report for 2024 was released in New Delhi recently. Andhra Pradesh due to its push to lure investors’ confidence has been classified as a leader. The State has ranked fifth after Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

Vizag Development Forum vice-president O. Naresh Kumar welcomed the elevation Andhra Pradesh to fifth position among larger States and called for further improving the ecosystem to ground the proposed investments in a time-bound manner. He told Bizz Buzz that the speed in grounding the projects will give a fillup to bring more investments.

Niti Aayog, which has selected Visakhapatnam for developing as a key growth hub along with Mumbai, Surat and Varanasi, said that the city is showing good signs of transformation towards a vibrant growth hub. Many feel NITI Aayog report is a pointer to the fact that Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a strong export-driven economy due to proactive policies unveiled by the State Government. During the CII Partnership Summit held in Visakhapatnam in November, 2025, Andhra Pradesh attracted MoUs envisaging an investment of Rs.13.25 lakh crore. However, in the Fiscal Health Index prepared by NITI Aayog, Andhra Pradesh ranks 17th due to heavy debt burden and less funding of capital expenditure.