Amit Shah: Ahmedabad must rival Bengaluru, Hyderabad in tech
Synopsis
Amit Shah has set a direct benchmark for Ahmedabad — match Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Gurugram in the service sector. The launch of Gujarat's first SEZ IT park, a ₹15,000 crore, 65-acre, seven-phase project targeting 63,000 jobs, signals that Gujarat is pivoting hard from its manufacturing identity toward a technology-and-services future.
Key Takeaways
Amit Shah launched Million Minds Tech City , Gujarat's first SEZ IT park, in Ahmedabad on 17 May 2025 .
Phase one covers 13.5 lakh sq ft at a cost of ₹1,100 crore , designed for 9,000 high-skilled professionals .
The full seven-phase, 65-acre project carries a total investment of ₹15,000 crore and targets 63,000 jobs over five years.
Shah called for Gujarat to reach the top one, two or three positions in India's service sector.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi attended the launch alongside representatives of developer Ganesh Housing Limited .
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, 17 May called on Gujarat to break into India's top tier of service-sector states, asserting that Ahmedabad must establish itself as a peer to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Gurugram in technology and innovation. Shah made the remarks at the launch of Million Minds Tech City, Gujarat's first SEZ IT park, in Ahmedabad.
Shah's Vision for Gujarat's Service Sector
'We have done very good work in manufacturing, engineering, pharmaceuticals, ports, logistics, green energy, industrial infrastructure and investment. But now the time has come to take Gujarat into the top one, two or three positions in the service sector as well,' Shah said at the event.
He argued that large-scale tech parks were not optional but essential for Ahmedabad to compete with India's established technology centres. 'If Ahmedabad has to establish itself alongside Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Gurugram in the service sector, then tech parks like this are extremely necessary,' he added.
Million Minds Tech City: Scale and Investment
The first phase of Million Minds Tech City has been developed across 13.5 lakh square feet at a cost of approximately ₹1,100 crore. Shah said this initial phase would provide an advanced working environment for 9,000 high-skilled professionals.
The full project spans a seven-phase development across 65 acres and is expected to attract a total investment of around ₹15,000 crore, generating more than 63,000 high-value jobs over the next five years. Shah described the project as reflecting 'a broader shift in Gujarat's economy towards technology parks and global capability centres.'
Gujarat's Industrial Foundation
Shah credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister with giving the state's industrial growth a structured direction through infrastructure development, ease-of-doing-business reforms, and entrepreneurship-focused policies. 'I can say with confidence that such structured industrial development has not been seen anywhere outside Gujarat. The whole world acknowledges this,' he noted.
He further said Gujaratis had traditionally carried entrepreneurial ability 'in their DNA,' and that successive governments had reinforced this through infrastructure, financial systems, and policy support.
Key Attendees
The launch event was attended by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and senior representatives of Ganesh Housing Limited, the developer behind the project.
What Comes Next
With the first phase now operational, attention will shift to the pace at which the remaining six phases are executed and whether the projected 63,000 jobs materialise within the stated five-year window. The project's success will be a key indicator of whether Ahmedabad can credibly challenge India's established IT corridors for talent and investment.
Point of View
And it does so at a moment when Bengaluru and Hyderabad are facing talent-cost pressures that could, in theory, benefit a challenger city. But the gap is substantial: Ahmedabad lacks the deep engineering-college pipeline, the startup density, and the multinational GCC footprint that define those cities. A single ₹15,000 crore IT park, however well-designed, does not close that gap on its own. The real test is whether the state can attract anchor tenants of the calibre needed to trigger a self-sustaining tech ecosystem — and whether the 63,000-jobs figure is tied to verifiable employment outcomes or remains a headline projection.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Million Minds Tech City in Ahmedabad?
Million Minds Tech City is Gujarat's first SEZ IT park, launched in Ahmedabad on 17 May 2025. Developed by Ganesh Housing Limited, it is a seven-phase project spanning 65 acres with a total planned investment of ₹15,000 crore and a target of over 63,000 high-value jobs over five years.
What did Amit Shah say about Ahmedabad becoming a tech hub?
Shah said tech parks of the scale of Million Minds Tech City are 'extremely necessary' if Ahmedabad is to establish itself alongside Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Gurugram in India's service sector. He also called for Gujarat to reach the top one, two, or three positions nationally in the service sector.
How big is the first phase of Million Minds Tech City?
The first phase covers 13.5 lakh square feet and was built at a cost of approximately ₹1,100 crore. It is designed to accommodate 9,000 high-skilled professionals.
How many jobs will Million Minds Tech City create?
The full seven-phase development is expected to generate more than 63,000 high-value jobs over the next five years, according to figures cited at the launch.
Who attended the launch of Million Minds Tech City?
The event was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and senior representatives of Ganesh Housing Limited, the project developer.
