Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference 2026 to be held in Vadodara in June, Central Gujarat in focus
Synopsis
Gujarat's investment roadshow rolls into Vadodara this June, with Central Gujarat — responsible for 28% of state manufacturing output, 93% of its transport equipment production, and $20.54 billion in FY25 exports — taking centre stage. After three regional editions that collectively attracted over ₹12.56 lakh crore in projected investments, the bar for the Vadodara VGRC is set high.
Key Takeaways
The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) will be held in Vadodara in the last week of June 2026 , focusing on Central Gujarat .
Central Gujarat contributes approximately 28 per cent of Gujarat's total manufacturing output across 10 districts .
The region accounts for 93 per cent of Gujarat's other transport equipment production and 92 per cent of auto and auto components output.
Central Gujarat exported goods worth $20.54 billion in FY 2024-25 to more than 219 countries , led by pharmaceuticals at $3.67 billion .
Previous VGRC editions have collectively generated over ₹12.56 lakh crore in projected investments across Mehsana, Rajkot and Surat.
Key infrastructure assets including the 5,560-acre Dholera SIR and 2,849-acre Mandal-Becharaji SIR are at various stages of development under the DMIC framework.
The Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) will be hosted in Vadodara in the last week of June 2026, with Central Gujarat's industrial and economic profile at the centre of proceedings, the Gujarat state government announced on Friday, 22 May. The conference is the latest in a series of regional editions designed to drive district-level investment planning under the broader Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit framework.
Central Gujarat's Industrial Weight
The Central Gujarat region spans 10 districts — Ahmedabad, Anand, Chhota Udepur, Dahod, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Mahisagar, Narmada, Panchmahal and Vadodara — and contributes approximately 28 per cent of Gujarat's total manufacturing output, according to official data released ahead of the event.
The region holds a commanding position in several high-value sectors. Data from the Annual Survey of Industries 2022-23 shows it accounts for 93 per cent of Gujarat's production of other transport equipment and 92 per cent of output in the auto and auto components segment. It also holds significant shares in beverages, pharmaceuticals and electrical equipment manufacturing.
District-Wise Sectoral Strengths
Vadodara district derives 61 per cent of its manufacturing output from chemicals and petrochemicals. Ahmedabad contributes through auto and auto components (18 per cent), textiles (15 per cent), basic metals (13 per cent) and pharmaceuticals (9 per cent).
Gandhinagar's base is anchored in food processing (18 per cent), basic metals (17 per cent) and chemicals (14 per cent), with GIFT City reinforcing its electronics and fintech footprint. Anand is heavily concentrated in agro and dairy processing at 50 per cent of manufacturing activity. Panchmahal leads in auto components (23 per cent), rubber and plastics (19 per cent) and pharmaceuticals (15 per cent).
In more rural districts, Narmada's manufacturing is dominated by food processing at 92 per cent, Chhota Udepur records 56 per cent in agro and food processing, and Dahod shows a 48 per cent share in food processing activities.
Export Profile and Global Reach
Central Gujarat recorded a total export value of $20.54 billion in FY 2024-25, with shipments reaching more than 219 countries. Pharmaceuticals led exports at $3.67 billion (17.8 per cent of total), followed by nuclear reactors, boilers and machinery at $2.79 billion (13.6 per cent), electrical machinery at $1.79 billion (8.7 per cent), road vehicles and parts at $1.47 billion (7 per cent), organic chemicals at $1.45 billion (7 per cent), and dyeing, tanning and colouring materials at $1.03 billion (5 per cent).
The United States remained the largest export destination with a 23.8 per cent share valued at $4.88 billion, followed by the UAE (7.3 per cent), Thailand (3 per cent), the UK (2.8 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (2.7 per cent).
DMIC and Key Infrastructure Projects
Officials noted that around 62 per cent of Gujarat's geographical area falls under the influence of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), which continues to shape large-scale industrial development across the state. Two flagship projects under this framework — the 5,560-acre Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) and the 2,849-acre Mandal-Becharaji Special Investment Region (MBSIR) — are currently at various stages of development.
The conference agenda is also expected to cover emerging priority sectors including semiconductors, IT and IT-enabled services, biotechnology, aerospace and defence, fintech, green energy, startups and MSMEs. Tourism assets — from the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Champaner-Pavagadh in Panchmahal — will also feature in discussions, with Gandhinagar's Mahatma Mandir being positioned as a MICE tourism hub.
Previous VGRC Editions Set a High Bar
The series has already generated substantial investment interest. The North Gujarat edition in Mehsana in October 2025 yielded 1,264 MoUs worth an estimated ₹3.25 lakh crore. The Kutch and Saurashtra edition in Rajkot in January 2026 recorded 5,492 MoUs with a projected investment of ₹5.78 lakh crore. The South Gujarat edition in Surat in May 2026 registered 2,792 MoUs worth ₹3.53 lakh crore.
Organisers expect the Vadodara edition to further strengthen investment inflows into a region that already commands nearly a third of the state's manufacturing output — and which is increasingly central to Gujarat's industrial ambitions.
Point of View
The MoU-to-implementation ratio from previous editions remains the unasked question: the Rajkot edition alone logged ₹5.78 lakh crore in projected investments, yet no independent audit of conversion rates has been publicly released. With the US accounting for nearly a quarter of Central Gujarat's exports, any sustained softness in American demand poses a material risk to the region's pharmaceutical and auto-components pipeline that the conference framing does not yet address.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC)?
The VGRC is a series of region-specific investment and industrial planning conferences held under the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit framework. Each edition focuses on a specific geographic cluster of Gujarat, reviewing its industrial profile and attracting investment commitments through MoUs.
When and where will the next VGRC be held?
The next VGRC will be held in Vadodara in the last week of June 2026, focusing on the Central Gujarat region comprising 10 districts including Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Anand and Vadodara.
What is Central Gujarat's contribution to the state's economy?
Central Gujarat contributes around 28 per cent of Gujarat's total manufacturing output, according to official data. The region also accounted for $20.54 billion in exports in FY 2024-25, with pharmaceuticals as the leading export sector at $3.67 billion.
How have previous VGRC editions performed in terms of investment?
The three previous editions have collectively attracted substantial investment interest. The Mehsana edition logged MoUs worth ₹3.25 lakh crore, the Rajkot edition ₹5.78 lakh crore, and the Surat edition ₹3.53 lakh crore — though these are projected figures based on signed MoUs.
What sectors will the Vadodara VGRC focus on?
The conference will highlight Central Gujarat's strengths in automobiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food processing and electronics, while also covering emerging sectors such as semiconductors, IT, biotechnology, aerospace and defence, fintech, green energy and tourism.
