ANI
29 Jun 2026

Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], June 29 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday inaugurated the fourth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) for the Central Gujarat region in Vadodara, describing the initiative as a major step towards strengthening industrial growth and positioning Central Gujarat as a global manufacturing and innovation hub.

Addressing industrialists, investors and entrepreneurs, the Chief Minister said India has witnessed rapid progress across sectors under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose vision and commitment to implementing forward-looking ideas have accelerated the country's economic and industrial development.

'India is progressing rapidly in every sector because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unique vision and his commitment to implementing forward-thinking ideas. Under his leadership, countries across the world have developed trusted partnerships with India, and this confidence continues to grow,' Patel said.

He said the State Government has adopted the Prime Minister's vision of balanced development by taking the Vibrant Gujarat initiative beyond the flagship global summit and organising regional conferences to showcase district-level industrial strengths and investment opportunities.

'The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference is not merely an investment platform but a strong bridge connecting local industries with global opportunities. I urge industrial leaders, investors and entrepreneurs to convert discussions into decisions, ideas into projects and projects into prosperity,' the Chief Minister said.

Patel said the conference covering ten districts of Central Gujarat would create new partnerships and fresh investment opportunities for industries across the region.

Describing the VGRC as a new model of balanced growth, the Chief Minister said Gujarat has continued to advance Prime Minister Modi's development vision through decentralised industrial promotion. He noted that the previous three editions of the conference held in Mehsana, Rajkot and Surat attracted around Rs 13.30 lakh crore worth of investment proposals through 9,499 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).

Calling Central Gujarat the heart of the state's industrial development, Patel highlighted the contribution of districts including Vadodara, Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur and Dahod in sectors such as automobile manufacturing, engineering, pharmaceuticals, agri-food products, semiconductors and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

He said Vadodara has emerged as a major centre for petrochemicals, speciality chemicals, electric vehicle equipment and aerospace manufacturing, including the Tata Airbus C-295 aircraft project, while Anand continues to strengthen India's dairy sector through the globally recognised Amul brand.

Recalling the beginning of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2003, Patel said the initiative launched under the leadership of Narendra Modi has transformed Gujarat into a preferred investment destination.

'When no one had imagined organising such a global business summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisioned bringing investors from across the world to Gujarat. Today, Gujarat has truly become the Global Gateway to the Future,' he said.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the newly announced Gujarat Industrial Policy 2026, saying it introduces industry-friendly incentives for MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, startups and emerging sectors.

'For the first time, industries will have the flexibility to select incentives according to their business requirements through the 'Choose Your Incentives' initiative,' Patel said.

He added that Gujarat's policy-driven governance, modern infrastructure and transparent decision-making have made it one of India's most attractive investment destinations and would contribute significantly to the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who also addressed the conference, said investor confidence is built on policy stability, infrastructure and reliable power supply, all of which Gujarat has consistently demonstrated.

'Every investor first evaluates whether a location offers confidence for long-term business growth. Vibrant Gujarat has played a significant role in building that confidence. Stable government policies, reliable electricity, world-class infrastructure and industry-friendly governance have made Gujarat a trusted investment destination,' Khattar said.

He said the foundation laid during Prime Minister Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister transformed the state into one of the country's leading investment destinations.

Khattar said India's peak power demand reached a record 271 gigawatts this year, which was successfully met, while preparations had already been made to handle demand up to 284 gigawatts. With growing requirements from data centres, electric vehicles and artificial intelligence, he said planning is underway to meet future demand of nearly 300 gigawatts.

He added that Gujarat remains a power-surplus state and leads the country in renewable energy with over 50 gigawatts of installed green energy capacity.

Speaking about housing, Khattar said more than 1.27 crore houses have been approved under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and PMAY 2.0, with 98.6 lakh houses already completed and handed over to beneficiaries. Of these, over 11.5 lakh houses have been approved in Gujarat.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said Vibrant Gujarat has evolved beyond an investment summit into a symbol of global partnerships and innovation.

'Vibrant Gujarat is no longer merely an investment summit. It has become a symbol of global partnerships and a platform that promotes innovation under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel,' Sanghavi said.

He described Central Gujarat as a region where history, culture and innovation converge and said it contributes nearly 28 per cent of Gujarat's total manufacturing output. During 2025-26, exports worth more than USD 20.5 billion originated from the region, he added.

According to Sanghavi, Central Gujarat houses over 65 Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) estates with more than 24,000 active industrial plots. The region accounts for 92 per cent of Gujarat's automobile and auto-component manufacturing, 70 per cent of beverage processing and 63 per cent of pharmaceutical and electrical equipment production.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the State Government has prepared a 20-year Central Gujarat Economic Master Plan under which Chhota Udepur will be developed as a sports equipment manufacturing hub while Vadodara is being positioned as India's largest bioeconomy hub.

He said the Viksit Gujarat Industrial Policy 2026 aims to attract Rs 10 lakh crore of fresh investments over the next five years.

Sanghavi also announced special incentives for women entrepreneurs, including additional interest subsidies, refresher skill programmes for women returning to work and rental support for up to five years.

Highlighting governance reforms, he said incentive disbursement has increased by 55 per cent over the last two years to Rs 7,888 crore, while documentation requirements have been reduced by 41 per cent, pending files have declined by 95 per cent, and nearly 392 industrial applications are now being cleared every day.

Inviting investors to participate in Gujarat's growth story, Sanghavi said, 'This platform is not merely meant for signing MoUs but for transforming opportunities into investments and enterprise into prosperity. Together, we can contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat by building a stronger and more prosperous Central Gujarat.'

The inaugural session of the conference was attended by senior ministers, Chief Secretary M.K. Das, senior government officials, ambassadors from various countries, representatives of trade and industry bodies, and entrepreneurs. (ANI)