Union home minister Amit Shah at the inauguration of the UPITS 2026 in Greater Noida
Union home minister Amit Shah with CM Yogi Adityanath at the inauguration of the UPITS 2026 in Greater Noida Union home minister Amit Shah with CM Yogi Adityanath at the inauguration of the UPITS 2026 in Greater Noida Union home minister Amit Shah at the inauguration of the UPITS 2026 in Greater Noida Union home minister Amit Shah with CM Yogi Adityanath at the inauguration of the UPITS 2026 in Greater Noida Union home minister Amit Shah with CM Yogi Adityanath at the inauguration of the UPITS 2026 in Greater Noida Union home minister Amit Shah at the inauguration of the UPITS 2026 in Greater Noida The minister said UP now offered all four prerequisites for investment: strong law and order, industry-friendly policies, proactive governance and administrative facilitation. India’s defence production had crossed Rs 1.78 lakh crore and exports had risen 56-fold since 2013-14, with Indian defence products now reaching 80 countries, he added. In one of his strongest remarks, Shah said BrahMos missiles manufactured in UP and AK-203 assault rifles produced in Amethi symbolised the state’s industrial transformation. Expressing confidence that this year’s event would surpass the previous edition’s record of more than five lakh visitors and over 2,400 MoUs, Shah said Uttar Pradesh was rapidly emerging as the country’s growth engine and a key contributor to India’s march towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Because of law-and-order concerns, the state was today aiming for a $1-trillion economy, drawing a contrast with the past, he said that while an investment summit could not be held in Lucknow in 2013. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in Lucknow Stay updated with the latest Lucknow news.
Highlighting the state’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, Shah said investments were flowing into six defence corridor nodes at Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Lucknow, Agra, Aligarh and Kanpur. “BrahMos missiles made in Uttar Pradesh keep Pakistan awake, while AK-203 assault rifles manufactured in Amethi have already deprived Naxals and terrorists of their sleep,” he said. Tracing the evolution of the trade show, Shah said the first edition showcased Uttar Pradesh’s changing image, the second attracted investor interest, the third brought investors to the state, and the fourth edition would help convert them into long-term partners in the state’s growth journey.
The home minister also credited the One District One Product (ODOP) programme for generating local employment and reducing migration. Alongside ODOP, he highlighted the launch of the One District One Cuisine (ODOC) platform, which aims to promote regional delicacies such as Varanasi’s Malaiyo, Mathura’s Peda, Agra’s Petha and Meerut’s Gajak across the country. Download the TOI App.
“In 2013, the situation in Uttar Pradesh was such that holding an industrial investment meet in Lucknow was deemed unfeasible due to poor law and order, forcing officials to organize it in Delhi.
Backing his claim with economic indicators, Shah also took a swipe at critics questioning India’s growth figures, saying those disputing GDP data were “vakradrashtas” (people with a distorted outlook) who failed to see the country’s economic vibrancy. Inaugurating the fourth edition of the UP International Trade Show (UPITS) at India Expo Mart alongside chief minister Yogi Adityanath , Shah recounted the state’s transformation over the past nine years, asserting that the “double-engine” govt has redirected the state’s trajectory firmly towards becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy. “There was a time when an industry of crime flourished in Uttar Pradesh. Vehicle theft operated like a cottage industry across cities, and country-made pistols (katta) were churned out. Contrasting current industrial buoyancy with previous regimes, Union Home minister recalled how the state once struggled even to host an investor summit on its home turf.
Lucknow/Greater Noida: Outlining virtually the party’s plank for its third bid to form a govt in the state, Union home minister Amit Shah said here on Friday that Uttar Pradesh has decisively buried its past associated with lawlessness and illicit arms manufacturing to emerge as the nation’s premier growth engine. Today, that illegal arms industry has been replaced by a Defence Corridor, auto theft has given way to vehicle manufacturing, and chain-snatching has been eclipsed by Medical Device Parks,” Shah said. Today, the same UP has transformed into a prime magnet for global and domestic investment, driving the nation’s economic expansion,” Shah said.
Referring to India’s economic performance, Shah said Moody’s had raised the country’s growth forecast from 6% to 7%, while a leading Japanese ratings agency had upgraded India’s sovereign rating. He said India recorded 7.8% growth in the latest quarter and remained the fastest-growing major economy despite global uncertainties. Highlighting broader economic trends, the home minister said electronics exports had increased eleven-fold since 2015 while investments exceeding Rs 1.64 lakh crore were being made across 12 semiconductor projects in six states. He also cited record capital expenditure exceeding Rs 12.2 lakh crore and July GST collections of Rs 2.11 lakh crore.
Those whose thinking itself is dead cannot see vibrancy; they see dead everywhere,” Shah said in an apparent reference to opposition criticism of the economy. He said India had transformed from being counted among the “Fragile Five” economies a decade ago to becoming one of the world’s top five economies. “Some ‘vakradrashtas’ keep disputing GDP figures. Shah attributed the country’s economic rise to policy continuity under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.