On the third day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), as is tradition, the leaders of the Russian regions learned about the latest results of the national investment climate ranking. The heads of the regions were anxiously awaiting the announcement of the best. Of the 89 regions, 40 achieved decent results, some regions shared their places of honor with three or four neighbors.
The Kaluga region entered the top ten and took sixth place together with the Krasnodar Territory. Since 2023, the region has advanced one point.
– Over the years we have been in different places in this ranking, but we are always in the top ten. These are difficult times in which European companies have left the country. This was the main indigenous investor in the Kaluga region. But we found an opportunity to create conditions for eastern investors to come to us from Asian countries, from the Middle East. We have taken a small step forward, but we will go even further,” said Vladislav Shapsha, governor of the Kaluga region, following the qualification results.
The region took first place in another rating: it was recognized as the best due to its high regional investment standard. That is, creating favorable conditions for entrepreneurs in a particular topic. Here they even managed to overtake Moscow and the Moscow region, which took third and fourth place respectively. This first line is indisputable: in 15 years, the industrial part of the Kaluga region has become rich with up to 130 large companies. These are automotive conglomerates, pharmaceutical companies and wood processing factories. The region does not plan to stop there: outside of SPIEF, it signed an important agreement for an investment of 47 billion rubles. It involves the construction of a precision casting plant.
Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov praised the pace at which the Kaluga region develops its industry. According to him, the ministry has already concluded 70 agreements on investment protection and promotion (IPC). With this mechanism, 10 factory projects, greenhouse complexes and airport terminals have already been implemented in Russia. Reshetnikov added that the SZPK depends on the regions, their attitude towards investors, locations, connections and profits. Kaluga, the minister noted, effectively uses these instruments.
