Industry leaders of coastal region on Thursday, reaffirmed their confidence in the region’s progress and inclusive spirit.
A joint statement by leaders representing various industry bodies said that the recent commentary and social media chatter have cast doubt on the safety and harmony of Mangaluru and Coastal Karnataka. “As representatives of the region’s entrepreneurs, industry groups and civic organisations, we present the facts to the contrary and reaffirm our confidence in the region’s progress and inclusive spirit,” it said.
The joint statement was signed by Natraj Hegde, Chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry, Mangaluru chapter; Gaurav Hegde, Secretary of Coastal Karnataka Tourism Development Council; Vinod AR Pinto, President of CREDAI, Mangaluru; Rohith Bhat, Convener of Silicon Beach Programme; Shyamprasad Hebbar, Vice President of TiE, Mangaluru; and Sharan Shetty, Chapter Chair, Young Indians Mangaluru.
The statement follows recent comments by Minister for Electronics, IT/BT, Priyank Kharge, on the investment climate in coastal Karnataka. Participating in an event in Bengaluru recently, he said that coastal Karnataka could not realise its full economic potential because of communal tensions and religious narratives in the region.
The minister had also called for a conducive and stable environment for investments in coastal Karnataka while posting news report images related to communal violence incidents of 2017 and 2019 on media platform X.
The joint statement by industry leaders said more than 40 new IT companies have established operations in coastal region in the last two years, and the region has added 8,000-plus new IT jobs.
Today, the tech ecosystem in coastal region includes more than 400 startups, 250-plus technology companies and around 25,000 professionals, reflecting sustained investor trust. In this period, three home-grown tech firms were acquired, totalling around $250 million in investment in the region. Each acquirer has committed to further expand in the region, signalling strong long-term confidence in our local talent and infrastructure, they said.
Mangaluru hosts leading professional education colleges that attract thousands of students from across India, a testament to the region’s enduring social harmony, it said.
Mentioning that the global partners are taking increasing interest in Mangaluru and the broader Silicon Beach region, the statement said ambassadors, consuls general, trade commissioners from Spain, France, Denmark, Israel, and the UK have visited the city multiple times over the past year to explore partnerships in technology, education and trade.
From keynote addresses at local innovation summits to exploratory meetings with academic and startup ecosystems, these engagements reflect growing international confidence in the region’s stability, collaborative spirit, and investment potential.
“Coastal Karnataka’s success has been built on collaboration between industry, academia, investors and government. We remain committed to working constructively with all stakeholders to keep this growth on track. Continued investment in infrastructure such as tech parks, data centres, industrial parks etc., and promotion of the region’s strengths will benefit the whole state. We believe that balanced development in Karnataka requires nurturing emerging hubs like ours, so that all regions share in the economic and social dividends of progress,” the statement said.
The Silicon Beach of India (the moniker used by coastal Karnataka’s industry leaders to identify the region) is characterised by its thriving economy, educational excellence and vibrant multicultural life. “We stand united in our vision of Coastal Karnataka as a model of inclusion and innovation, confident that our region will continue to thrive as a safe, harmonious and opportunity-rich part of Karnataka,” they said.
Published – February 19, 2026 08:28 pm IST
