Gandhinagar, Aug 7 (IANS) Gujarat is rapidly transforming from India’s manufacturing and renewable energy powerhouse into a technology hub, with semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence and data centre infrastructure driving its next phase of growth, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said on Friday.
Addressing the ‘Viksit Gujarat Summit 2026’ at GIFT City, Patel said the state’s technology ecosystem was expanding alongside its industrial base, positioning Gujarat as a key player in advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure.
“Gujarat, already India’s manufacturing hub, auto hub and leader in renewable energy-driven green growth, is now rapidly emerging as a technology hub as well,” the Chief Minister said.
He said three semiconductor plants had become operational in the state, creating an entirely new industrial ecosystem and placing Gujarat prominently on the global technology map.
“The state government’s recently announced Global Capability Centre (GCC) and Data Centre Policy would facilitate the establishment of hyperscale data centres in Gujarat. The central government’s tax holiday for data centres until 2047 would further strengthen investment in the sector,” he said.
He also highlighted the AI Centre of Excellence at GIFT City, describing it as an important bridge between technology and industry, supported by the financial services ecosystem developed within GIFT City.
Referring to the recently released NITI Aayog Investment Friendliness Index 2026, Patel said: “Gujarat ranked first in the country in attracting foreign investment, receiving cumulative foreign direct investment of $73.9 billion between April 2020 and 2025. The state had remained India’s leading destination for cumulative FDI since 2019.”
According to Patel, Gujarat’s policy-driven governance and industrial ecosystem have encouraged entrepreneurship, innovation and employment generation while improving citizens’ quality of life.
The Chief Minister said the vision of “Viksit Bharat, Viksit Gujarat” was centred on holistic development, ensuring equal opportunities, quality of life and economic prosperity for every citizen.
He said the state continued to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability through initiatives such as “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”, natural farming and the construction of Amrit Sarovars under the concept of “Earning Well, Living Well”.
Referring to National Handloom Day, Patel said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched its observance in 2015 and promoted “Vocal for Local” to improve the socio-economic condition of handloom artisans and expand market access for their products.
Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia said Gujarat was witnessing rapid growth in sunrise sectors including space technology, electronics, biotechnology and artificial intelligence while maintaining its strengths in pharmaceuticals, textiles and chemicals.
“There was a time when only ISRO was engaged in the space sector, but today nearly 50 startups have presented their prototypes. Most of these startups have already tied up with venture funds and secured patents,” he said.
Modhwadia said Gujarat possessed the vision, financial strength and infrastructure needed to attract investments across diverse sectors and expressed confidence that the state would become India’s leading destination for sunrise industries within the next five years.
Denmark’s Ambassador to India, Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, said the Khavda Renewable Energy Park demonstrated the potential of integrating solar power, wind energy and battery storage to advance the clean energy transition.
“Danish companies are investing in Gujarat, including at Pipavav Port, while India and Denmark were also collaborating on offshore wind energy, green shipping, education and research,” he noted.
–IANS
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