- Karnataka's industry minister MB Patil rejected claims that industries will leave the state due to lack of land
- Karnataka contributes 65% to India's defence and aerospace industry, Mr Patil said
- He highlighted Karnataka's established aerospace ecosystem with major global companies
Andhra Pradesh's 'open invite' to the aerospace industry -- after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah shelved the aerospace park project near Bengaluru -- has drawn a jab from his industry minister MB Patil. Hitting out at Andhra minister Nara Lokesh, he said not a single industry "will go out Karnataka for want of land".
Underscoring that the "eco-system is more important than land, Mr Patil told NDTV in an exclusive interview today that he wished "Mr Nara all the best".
Yesterday, after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's move to stop land acquisition for the aerospace park, Nara Lokesh sent out a public invite to the aerospace industry to relocate.
"Dear Aerospace industry, sorry to hear about this. I have a better idea for you. Why don't you look at Andhra Pradesh instead? We have an attractive aerospace policy for you, with best-in-class incentives and over 8000 acres of ready-to-use land (just outside Bengaluru)! Hope to see you soon to talk across the table," read his message on X, formerly Twitter.
"I can't expect anything from whatever he has thought will happen, because you may try to fish in the troubled waters. The water in Karnataka is very, very calm," Mr Patil said.
Karnataka, he said, is way ahead of Andhra when it comes to defence and aerospace industry -- "the country's 65% of the contribution comes from Karnataka".
"In aerospace and defence you name anything, you name Airbus, Boeing, Safra, Collins, Lockheed Martin, all of them are here... After this incident, morning 11.15, I had a meeting with Rolls Royce... whoever wants land -- and wherever they want to land - closer to the airport, everything, we are capable to giving that. We have parcels with us. We will give them land.
"And globally, as we are recognised by Financial Times, that globally, we are the number three largest ecosystem. So that being the case, so this land of 1,777 acres, maybe we may have to take a decision because of the farmers, this one," he said.
As to why such a decision was taken - he said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is "pro-farmer... and he takes care of the interests of the farmers by various schemes".
But the state is not lacking in land and the dropping of 1,777 acres on their behalf will not have any impact, he insisted.
"Maybe we have to sacrifice around 1,000 acres but doesn't mean that's the only parcel we have. We have many parcels around. What Mr Nara is claiming around 8,500 (acres). I have around 25,000 acres of parcel with me. Three times bigger parcels than him. And my lands are very expensive," he added.
