VISAKHAPATNAM, November 2026 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal surprised visitors at the 31st CII Partnership Summit on Thursday by trying their hands at traditional drums during the inaugural event in Visakhapatnam.
The three leaders toured the Engineering College Grounds of Andhra University, the venue of the two-day summit, and watched performances by various cultural troupes showcasing Andhra Pradesh's traditional music and art forms.
During an interaction with one of the performing groups, Chief Minister Naidu picked up a drum from an artist and invited Pawan Kalyan and Piyush Goyal to join him. The two leaders accepted the invitation, and the trio began playing the traditional instruments, drawing the attention of those present.
Earlier, Naidu and Pawan Kalyan had welcomed Goyal at the venue. The leaders walked around the exhibition grounds, interacted with artists and watched cultural performances before proceeding to the inaugural session.
They also visited several exhibition stalls showcasing traditional artworks, handicrafts and cultural exhibits. Naidu and Goyal even tried their hands at painting, adding an informal cultural touch to the summit's opening proceedings.
CII Partnership Summit Brings Global Industry Leaders to Vizag
The 31st CII Partnership Summit is being held over two days under the theme “Trade, Technology, Trust and Thought Leadership in a Changing Global Landscape.”
The event is jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Government of Andhra Pradesh and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Government of India.
The summit aims to bring together policymakers, business leaders, investors and industry representatives to discuss emerging opportunities and challenges in international trade, technology, investment and economic cooperation.
Several prominent dignitaries attended the inaugural ceremony, including Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu and Andhra Pradesh Human Resources Development and IT Minister Nara Lokesh.
State ministers T.G. Bharath, who holds the Industries and Food Processing portfolio, B.C. Janardhan Reddy, Minister for Roads and Buildings, and Satyakumar Yadav, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, were also present.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary G. Sai Prasad and several senior government officials, industry representatives and business leaders participated in the programme.
Nara Lokesh Welcomes Global Attention to Visakhapatnam
Taking to social media platform X, Nara Lokesh described the summit as a major occasion for Visakhapatnam, highlighting the international participation at the event.
“A big day for Vizag! The world is here as we launch the 31st CII Partnership Summit,” he wrote.
The gathering is expected to provide a platform for discussions on investment opportunities, industrial partnerships, technological innovation and India's engagement with the changing global economic landscape.
The participation of national and state leaders, alongside business representatives and cultural performers, marked the opening of the two-day event in Visakhapatnam.
