Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday, 29 June declared that nations across the world are increasingly turning to India as a 'trusted partner', attributing the shift to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forward-looking governance at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) for Central Gujarat in Vadodara. Speaking at the inaugural session, Patel said India's economic transformation had been driven by leadership that anticipates challenges rather than merely reacting to them.

Key Remarks at the VGRC

Addressing an audience that included Union Housing and Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, state ministers, diplomats, industry leaders, and investors, Patel credited Modi's 12 years of national governance for unprecedented economic progress. 'We have been blessed with leadership that thinks today about tomorrow's needs and begins implementing solutions from today itself,' he said, citing proactive planning in electricity, water, and environmental management as examples.

'That is why countries across the world are increasingly coming to India as a trusted friend, and many more nations are eager to strengthen their partnership with India,' Patel added.

From Red Tape to Red Carpet

The Chief Minister highlighted what he described as a fundamental shift in India's business environment under Modi's tenure. 'PM Modi transformed industries from red tape to the red carpet and undertook the monumental task of improving Ease of Doing Business over these 12 years,' he said. Gujarat, Patel noted, had benefited from Modi's leadership for 25 years, earning a reputation as a policy-driven state with robust infrastructure and fast decision-making.

On the state's industrial strategy, Patel said Gujarat was advancing on two parallel tracks — strengthening traditional MSMEs while simultaneously promoting emerging sectors. The state recently unveiled the Viksit Gujarat Industrial Policy-2026, which includes an innovative 'Choose Your Incentives' framework allowing industries to select the incentive structure best suited to their investment needs.

Dholera, GIFT City, and Emerging Hubs

GIFT City in Gandhinagar was described as the country's leading financial technology destination, offering opportunities in artificial intelligence data centres, financing, and aircraft leasing. Patel pointed to Dholera and Sanand in Ahmedabad district as emerging semiconductor manufacturing hubs and critical nodes in global supply chains.

'Dholera is taking shape as the country's first smart industrial city, and its Greenfield Airport will become operational soon,' he said. He added that the Prime Minister had recently approved India's first semi-high-speed rail corridor to improve connectivity to Dholera, further cementing its industrial significance.

Viksit Gujarat, Viksit Bharat

Patel framed Gujarat's industrial ambitions within the broader national goal of Viksit Bharat 2047, stating that the new industrial policy includes breakthrough incentives for MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, and start-ups. He said the VGRC had emerged as a key platform for translating the 'Vocal for Local, Local to Global' vision into actionable investment outcomes.

Recalling a remark Modi made in Vadodara, Patel said: 'The Prime Minister had said in this very city that every possibility can be transformed into prosperity with the right plan and the right partners.' With Dholera's airport and rail corridor on the horizon, the next phase of Gujarat's industrial story is set to unfold rapidly.