Vibrant Gujarat 2019 to go beyond investments; focus on trade, exports

Ninth edition of the global summit to be held in Gandhinagar in January

GN Bureau | November 16, 2018


#economy   #Narendra Modi   #Vijay Rupani   #Vibrant Gujarat   #Gujarat  


Vibrant Gujarat, the biannual gathering organised by Gujarat, will go beyond pitching for investments and will provide a forum to explore trade and export opportunities. The ninth edition of the event will take place on January 18-20 at Gandhinagar. Its theme is 'Shaping a New India'.

“Gujarat is a land of opportunities. With Vibrant Gujarat, the state is building the foundation for a new India,” chief minister Vijay Rupani said at a curtain-raiser event in New Delhi on Friday.

The first Vibrant Gujarat was held in Ahmedabad in January 2003, when Narendra Modi, then chief minister, wanted to consolidated the state’s industry-friendly image, and attract fresh investments. It was to emerge as a case study in successful branding – not only for the event itself but also for the Modi government. It was held again in 2005, and was made a biannual feature. To host it, a world-class convention centre, called Mahatma Mandir, was developed in the state capital.

Over the years, it made headlines for the astronomical sums pledged there by investors, even if there was muted criticism for only a fraction of it realising into actual investments. Still, it has been the premier event of its kind in India.

As Ramesh Abhishek, secretary, department of industrial policy and promotion, said, “Vibrant Gujarat is the mother of all investment promotion events in the country,” providing a prototype to many other states.

The reason is obvious: Making a brief presentation on the coming event, MK Das, Gujarat’s principal secretary (industries & mines), said, “We are the fastest growing state in the fastest growing economy.”

Among other new features of the next edition, a shopping festival – on the lines of Dubai Shopping Festival – will be held in Ahmedabad on the same dates.

Comments

 

Other News

AI: Code, Control, Conquer

India today stands at a critical juncture in the area of artificial intelligence. While the country is among the fastest adopters of AI in the world, it remains heavily reliant on technologies developed elsewhere. This paradox, experts warn, cannot persist if India seeks technological sovereignty.

RBI pauses to assess inflation risks, policy transmission

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has begun the new fiscal year with a calibrated pause, keeping the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent in its April Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. The decision, taken unanimously, reflects a shift from aggressive policy action to cautious observation after a signi

New pathways for tourism growth

Traditionally, India’s tourism policy has been based on three main components: the number of visitors, building tourist attractions and providing facilities for tourists. Due to the increase in climate-related issues and environmental destruction that occurred over previous years, policymakers have b

Is the US a superpower anymore?

On April 8, hours after warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” US president Donald Trump, exhibiting his unique style of retreating from high-voltage brinkmanship, announced that he agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The weekend talks in Islamabad have failed and the futur

Machines communicate, humans connect

There is a moment every event professional knows—the kind that arrives without warning, usually an hour before the curtain rises. Months of meticulous planning are in place. And then comes the call: “We’ll also need a projector. For the slides.”   No email

Why India is entering a ‘stagflation lite’ phase

India’s macroeconomic narrative is quietly shifting—from a rare “Goldilocks” equilibrium of stable growth and contained inflation to a more fragile phase where external shocks are beginning to dominate domestic policy outcomes. The numbers still look reassuring at first glance: GDP


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter