The first three regional conferences attracted investment proposals worth about ₹13.30 lakh crore through 9,499 memorandums of understanding (MoUs), Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel said on Monday as he inaugurated the fourth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC), pitching central Gujarat as the state’s next manufacturing and innovation hub.
Patel said the two-day conference would showcase the industrial strengths of 10 districts in Central Gujarat before domestic and global investors while fostering new partnerships for industrial growth.
“I urge industrial leaders, investors and entrepreneurs to work together to transform the discussions held during VGRC into decisions, ideas into projects and projects into prosperity,” Patel said.
He said the earlier editions of the regional conferences, held in Mehsana, Rajkot and Surat, had together attracted investment proposals worth about ₹13.30 lakh crore through 9,499 MoUs, reflecting growing investor confidence in Gujarat’s regional development model.
Patel said Central Gujarat had emerged as one of the state’s leading industrial regions, with Vadodara developing into a hub for petrochemicals, speciality chemicals, electric vehicle equipment and aerospace manufacturing, including the Tata-Airbus C-295 aircraft project. Anand had earned global recognition through the Amul cooperative movement, while Kheda offered significant opportunities in food processing and MSMEs. He added that Vadodara, Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur and Dahod were making substantial contributions to manufacturing, engineering, pharmaceuticals, agri-food products and MSMEs.
The Chief Minister said Gujarat’s Industrial Policy 2026 had been designed to strengthen the state’s position in global supply chains by offering incentives for MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, startups and emerging sectors.
“The policy includes several industry-friendly incentives. For the first time, it introduces the innovative ‘Choose Your Incentives’ initiative, enabling industries to select incentives according to their specific requirements,” Patel said.
He said Gujarat had emerged as a preferred investment destination because of policy stability, modern infrastructure and faster decision-making.
Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power Manohar Lal Khattar said Gujarat’s stable policies, reliable power supply and world-class infrastructure had made it a preferred destination for investors.
“Every investor first evaluates whether a location is suitable for investment and whether it offers the confidence needed for business growth. The Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit has played an important role in building this confidence,” Khattar said.
He said India had successfully met its highest-ever peak electricity demand of 271 GW this year and preparations had been made to meet demand of up to 284 GW, with further planning underway for up to 300 GW as electricity consumption rises because of data centres, electric vehicles and artificial intelligence. Gujarat, he said, remained a power-surplus state with more than 50 GW of installed renewable energy capacity and had balanced industrial growth with environmental conservation.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said Central Gujarat accounted for nearly 28% of the state’s manufacturing output and exported products worth more than USD 20.5 billion during 2025-26.
“Vibrant Gujarat is no longer merely an investment summit but has become a symbol of global partnerships. It has evolved into a strong platform that promotes innovation,” Sanghavi said.
He said the region had more than 65 Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation estates with over 24,000 active industrial plots and accounted for 92% of Gujarat’s automobile and auto-component manufacturing, 70% of beverage processing, and 63% of pharmaceutical and electrical equipment manufacturing.
Sanghavi said the state had set a target of attracting ₹10 lakh crore in fresh investments over the next five years under Industrial Policy 2026, which also provides additional support for women entrepreneurs, mega projects and employment generation.
