Gujarat VGGS 2027: Patel holds mega investment talks in New Delhi
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel convened a sweeping round of investment meetings in New Delhi on Monday, 31 August, drawing global and domestic companies to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) 2027 curtain-raiser. Discussions spanned battery manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, green fuels, hyperscale data centres, and financial services — signalling the breadth of Gujarat's pre-summit outreach.
Key Investment Proposals on the Table
The proposed investments discussed during the day's meetings included a ₹7,000 crore soda ash manufacturing complex in Kutch, a ₹1,200 crore pharmaceutical and biotechnology facility, and a ₹3,000 crore offshore premium business routed through GIFT City. Multi-billion-dollar proposals in green e-methanol and hyperscale data centres also featured prominently.
Company-by-Company Highlights
Patel met representatives of Sberbank India, Russia's largest banking institution, which is reportedly working to establish a presence in Gujarat to deepen financial and trade connectivity between India and Russia. In a post on social media platform X, Patel said discussions also covered digital solutions including smart mobility, urban surveillance, remote-diagnostics healthcare technology, and non-profit skilling programmes for youth.
With Prashant Kumar, Deputy Managing Director of LG Energy Solution, talks centred on a battery-cell manufacturing investment roadmap and large-scale energy-storage solutions of 10–12 GWh. PB Fintech Group President Rajiv Gupta discussed insurance awareness initiatives in Gujarati, an affordable healthcare network targeting 1,000 hospitals, and the group's international business expansion through GIFT City — where it holds ₹3,000 crore in offshore premiums.
Mankind Pharma Promoter and COO Arjun Juneja reviewed progress on the company's upcoming ₹1,200 crore pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturing facility in Gujarat, with Phase I scheduled for commissioning by March 2027. Policy continuity and incentives under Gujarat's biotechnology framework were also on the agenda.
GHCL Managing Director R S Jalan presented plans for a world-scale soda ash complex spread across 1,000 acres in Mandvi, Kutch, backed by a ₹7,000 crore outlay. The company is additionally planning a ₹200 crore investment in spinning and weaving at the PM MITRA Mega Textile Park in Gujarat.
HIF Global Director Rajesh Khanna outlined two flagship proposals: a USD 4 billion green e-methanol plant at Kandla and a USD 7 billion-plus, 1 GW hyperscale data centre at Dholera SIR with indigenous technology integration. Data infrastructure discussions continued with AirTrunk Managing Director (Corporate & International) Carly Wishart, whose company is exploring large-scale hyperscale facilities in Gujarat to meet rising demand for cloud and artificial intelligence computing. AirTrunk reportedly appreciated Gujarat's newly launched Viksit Gujarat Data Centre Policy 2026–29, along with the state's power availability, subsea cable connectivity, and renewable-energy integration.
Gujarat–New South Wales Bilateral Talks
On the sidelines, Patel met Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales, to explore strengthening Gujarat-NSW ties. Discussions covered Australian university campuses in GIFT City, sports exchanges, and potential cooperation in critical minerals and chip processing. Minns expressed enthusiasm for VGGS 2027, with New South Wales expected to send an active delegation.
Context and What Comes Next
The New Delhi curtain-raiser follows Patel's recent investment roadshows in the United States and Canada, underscoring Gujarat's multi-geography pre-summit strategy. VGGS 2027 is scheduled to be held from 10 to 12 January next year. Notably, past editions of the summit have consistently attracted headline investment intent figures in the tens of lakh crore, though actual disbursement and project realisation timelines have varied. The scale and diversity of Monday's meetings suggest the state is positioning VGGS 2027 as a broader economic diplomacy event, not merely a domestic investor conclave.