New Delhi/Ahmedabad, Sep 4 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday pitched the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conferences (VGRC) as a platform to showcase the state’s industrial, economic, and cultural strengths, while inviting leading industry figures to participate in the first conference in north Gujarat next month.

At an interactive session with top industrialists and business associations in Delhi, CM Patel said Gujarat, under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had transformed into India’s growth engine since the launch of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in 2003.

The Chief Minister expressed pride in presenting the vision behind VGRC and recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) in 2003, during his tenure as Chief Minister, with the idea of positioning Gujarat on the global industrial map.

“Vibrant Gujarat has always been a confluence of trade and tradition, commerce and culture, industry and entrepreneurship. The new regional conferences will build on this success to accelerate growth at the regional level,” he said.

The CM noted that the production capacity of individual regions such as North Gujarat, South Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Central Gujarat often surpasses that of entire states.

The regional summits, he said, will help attract sector-specific investments and open new opportunities for MSMEs and allied industries.

“The next phase of Gujarat’s journey will be powered by future-ready mega projects like GIFT City, Dholera SIR, SEMICON, greenfield ports, and renewable energy. The VGRC will be the bridge between regional strengths and global ambitions,” he added.

Themed “Regional Aspirations – Global Ambitions”, the VGRC will include trade shows, exhibitions, and sector-focused seminars, providing a platform for local enterprises to connect with investors.

Patel stressed that the conferences align with the Prime Minister’s call for Vocal for Local, Local for Global and will help Gujarat contribute significantly towards building a $3.5 trillion economy by 2047.

“The theme of VGRC – Regional Aspirations, Global Ambitions – resonates with the Prime Minister’s call of Vocal for Local and Local for Global. This initiative will strengthen Atmanirbhar Bharat and contribute to the vision of Developed India @2047,” he said.

Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi said the VGRC would serve as a model for balanced and inclusive growth.

“Gujarat continues to lead India’s ease of doing business rankings with policies like the Single Window Clearance Act and its digital investors’ facilitation portal. The state has also attracted investment in semiconductors, renewable energy, green hydrogen, defence, and aerospace. Regional conferences will take this momentum to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities,” he said.

Union Industry Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia commended Gujarat for pioneering the initiative, saying it would provide new opportunities for start-ups and industries in smaller cities and could inspire similar efforts by other states. Industries Principal Secretary Mamta Verma outlined the objectives of the VGRC, while Industries Commissioner Swaroop P presented the regional development prospects.

Additional Chief Secretary to the CM M.K. Das, senior officials, and industry leaders including FICCI President Harsha Vardhan Agarwal and Hester Biosciences CEO Rajiv Gandhi were present.

The first Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference will be held in North Gujarat on October 9–10, followed by similar events in the other three regions of the state.

–IANS

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