Vibrant Gujarat Delayed To 2027. Before That, 4 Regional Summits

According to the state Industries Department, the first summit will be held in Mehsana on October 9-10 this year, followed by three in 2026 — Rajkot in January, Surat in April, and Vadodara in July. These cities will host two-day events with a focus on key sectors relevant to it, ranging from agri-processing and auto components to FinTech and semiconductors. 

From 2003 to 2024, Gujarat has hosted 10 Vibrant Summits. The 11th edition was originally planned by the government for 2025, but following guidance from the Centre, and given the schedule of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly elections, the Global Summit has been postponed to 2027. However, like in 2023, the state will hold regional summits before the main event.

K C Sampat, Managing Director of iNDEXTb (Industrial Extension Bureau), has initiated the tendering process for the four regional summits. According to him, acting on directives of the state government and the Industries Department, tenders have been issued to hire agencies for trade shows, exhibitions, creative design, social media management and public relations.

Sampat said iNDEXTb, the nodal organisation for both the regional conferences and the Global Summit of Vibrant Gujarat, intends to appoint an agency with experience in creative design services. This would include promotional materials such as hoardings, backdrops, advertisements, etc., related to the regional conferences.

A senior official from the Industries Department said the four locations for these mini-Vibrant Summits have been identified as — Ganpat University Campus in Mehsana, Saurashtra University in Rajkot, the International Exhibition and Convention Centre in Surat, and Pandit Deendayal Nagar Gruh in Vadodara. The venues are tentative and could change. Each summit will also feature exhibitions and trade shows.

Focus Sectors:

Mehsana:
Agri & Food Processing, Auto & Auto Components, Cotton, Pharmaceuticals, Engineering, Green Energy Ecosystem, Tourism

Rajkot:
Agri & Food Processing, Tourism, Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Ceramics, Engineering, Ports & Logistics, Green Energy Ecosystem

Surat:
Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Textiles, Gems & Jewellery, Tourism, Agri & Food Processing, Electronics System Design & Manufacturing

Vadodara:
Automobile, Electronics & Semiconductor, IT/ITeS, Agri & Food Processing, Textiles & Apparels, Aerospace, Defence, Chemicals & Petrochemicals, FinTech

Second Year Of Regional Summits

According to Industries Minister Balvantsinh Rajput, Gujarat has organised 10 Vibrant Summits so far, with the latest being held in 2024. In 2023, the government held four regional summits across different zones, which resulted in numerous investment agreements.

He added that this year’s strategy is shaped by previous experience. The goal is to boost investment in districts that display industrial development potential, thereby increasing grassroots-level public participation and generating local employment opportunities.