Ahmedabad: Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Gujarat have achieved a historic milestone, recording exports of Rs 3,00,793 crore in 2025-26. This marks a sharp rise from Rs 1,79,808 crore in 2014-15, representing an increase of about 67% over the last 12 years, according to central government officials.
Gujarat SEZs now account for approximately 21% of India's total SEZ exports, underscoring the state's continued dominance in the sector. The export performance was highlighted at an outreach programme titled '12 years of achievements and progress of SEZs of Gujarat & vision of future', attended by officials from the Ministry of Commerce, Gujarat government, SEZ authorities, and industry representatives.
India's Export Growth
Ajay Bhadoo, additional secretary at the Ministry of Commerce, noted that India's overall exports have nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from about $441 billion to $863 billion. This growth has been driven by engineering goods, petroleum products, electronics, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, and chemicals. Gujarat has emerged as a major contributor, with exports of nearly $110 billion.
Despite challenges such as rising US tariffs and the West Asia crisis, Bhadoo emphasized India's resilience in the export ecosystem. He stated, 'This has been a very difficult year... Despite that, we have proved that India is very resilient as far as the export ecosystem is concerned. Our services sector exports have increased significantly and merchandise exports have also increased higher than the global average. India's total exports reached an all-time high of $863 billion in FY 2025-26.'
Trade Diplomacy and Export Promotion
Bhadoo highlighted that India's trade diplomacy has expanded market access through free trade agreements (FTAs) with Mauritius, the UAE, Australia, the United Kingdom, and ongoing engagements with the European Union and New Zealand. These agreements aim to widen opportunities for Indian exporters. Additionally, the Centre has launched an Export Promotion Mission with an outlay of Rs 25,600 crore for FY 2025-26 to 2030-31 to strengthen the export ecosystem, support MSMEs, and enhance integration with global value chains.
Gujarat SEZ Performance
Kandla Special Economic Zone (KASEZ) zonal development commissioner Dnyaneshwar B Patil reported that Gujarat SEZ exports rose from Rs 1,79,808 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 3,00,793 crore in 2025-26. The state contributes about 21% of India's total SEZ exports. Investments in Gujarat SEZs increased from Rs 1,22,654 crore to Rs 2,28,624 crore during the same period, while employment grew from 63,475 to over 2.22 lakh jobs.
Patil also announced that four semiconductor SEZs have been notified in Gujarat, including projects by CG Semi Technologies, Kaynes Semicon, Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Micron Technology.
State Initiatives
Gujarat industries commissioner Swaroop P stated that the state has unveiled the Viksit Gujarat Industrial Policy 2026, identifying 21 thrust sectors and introducing a 'Choose your Incentive' framework for customized support.
