Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference attracts $37 bn, led by textiles

The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) for South Gujarat drew investment commitments worth ₹3.53 lakh crore (~$37.12 billion), with 2,792 MoUs (memorandums of understanding) signed over the two-day event, the state government said in an official release on Saturday. Held at Auro University in Surat, the conference concluded on May 2 and is expected to generate around 2.82 lakh direct employment opportunities in South Gujarat over the next three years, across key sectors such as textiles, garments, chemicals and manufacturing.

The 2,792 projects span sectors such as textiles and apparel, industrial and logistics parks, power (including oil, gas and renewable energy), skill development and transport, among others.

The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in South Gujarat drew ₹3.53 lakh crore (~$37.12 billion) in investment commitments with 2,792 MoUs signed.
Projects span textiles, logistics, power and manufacturing, and may generate 2.82 lakh jobs.
The government also plans to promote garment units in tribal areas, creating over 25,000 work-from-home jobs for women.

The government also emphasised efforts to promote non-polluting industries and garment units in tribal districts like Dang, Tapi, Valsad and Navsari, with over 25,000 women expected to benefit from work-from-home employment opportunities.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Chemicals and Fertilisers, JP Nadda at the valedictory session said that the recent global developments highlight the need to reduce strategic dependencies and strengthen supply chains. He noted that global uncertainties should be leveraged as opportunities, with greater focus on boosting manufacturing through regional initiatives.

Highlighting South Gujarat’s strengths, Nadda said the region has emerged as a global hub, from Surat’s diamond and textile industries to the chemical and fertiliser clusters in Bharuch, Dahej and Ankleshwar. He added that linking garment manufacturing with textiles and tribal regions is opening new avenues for development, marking a significant step forward for the region and the state.

He further stated that the conference has laid a strong foundation for South Gujarat’s economic growth, positioning it for a major leap ahead.

Commending Gujarat’s economic contribution, Nadda said the state accounts for about 8 per cent of India’s GDP, 17 per cent of manufacturing output, 27 per cent of merchandise exports and 40 per cent of total cargo handling.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (CG)