In a significant move to spotlight a key economic engine, the Saurashtra-Kutch region of Gujarat is set to host its first-ever dedicated Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) next month. The event marks a focused effort to harness the area's vast industrial and maritime potential, building on its legacy as one of India's oldest trade hubs dating back to Harappan times.
A Regional Powerhouse Takes Center Stage
The inaugural conference for the Saurashtra-Kutch belt will be held on the campus of Marwadi University in Rajkot, spanning a massive 20,000 square meter area. The venue will feature six modern domes dedicated to sector-specific exhibitions, innovation displays, and networking forums. Organisers anticipate an impressive footfall of around 1.25 lakh visitors over the four-day event.
This regional summit is a direct offshoot of the flagship Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit, launched in 2003, which propelled the region's globally recognised industrial clusters into the limelight. These clusters span diverse sectors including ceramics, brassware, engineering, and auto components.
In preparation for the main event, district-level programmes have already generated strong interest from investors and industry representatives. These pre-summit meets have been successfully conducted in Morbi, Jamnagar, Gir-Somnath, Bhavnagar, Botad, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, and Surendranagar. Sessions for Kutch and Junagadh are scheduled for the first week of January.
Strategic Location and Industrial Muscle
Bordered by the Arabian Sea, the Saurashtra-Kutch region is a cornerstone of Gujarat's industrial and economic growth. Its strategic western coastline serves as a vital gateway for global commerce, backed by world-class ports and robust logistics. The region houses two of India's most significant western coast ports: Deendayal Port Authority (Kandla) and Mundra Port. Together, they handled a staggering nearly 350 million metric tonnes of cargo in the last financial year, serving large parts of western and northern India.
The industrial landscape here is remarkably diversified. Beyond the major ports, oil refineries, and petrochemical complexes, it hosts leading clusters for ceramics, wall clocks, engineering and auto parts, imitation and precious jewellery, timber, ship breaking, and steel re-rolling. Industry sources estimate the presence of about four lakh Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the region.
Tourism is also a rapidly growing sector, fueled by rich wildlife, natural landscapes like the Rann of Kutch, and major religious destinations. Circuits such as Junagadh-Gir-Somnath-Dwarka and the popular Rann Utsav have significantly boosted visitor numbers.
Industry Expectations and Key Challenges
Industry leaders across the region have expressed optimism about the summit's potential while highlighting critical areas for attention.
Parth Ganatra, Vice-President of the Rajkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted that around 65 buyers interested in the engineering sector are expected. "We anticipate meaningful B2B discussions," he said, adding that with the Prime Minister's attendance, hopes are high for strong region-specific policy announcements to boost local industries.
Nimish Phadke, Managing Director of the Federation of Kutch Industries Association (FOKIA), pointed to emerging sectors like renewable energy and green hydrogen, where several MoUs are expected. He emphasised that while the summit will help build an ecosystem, bottlenecks like industrial water scarcity must be addressed for sustainable growth.
From the ceramics hub of Morbi, Haresh Bopaliya, President of the Morbi Ceramic Manufacturers Association, stated the summit would greatly benefit new entrepreneurs. For established players, however, the real value would depend on participation from foreign buyers for direct business discussions.
Kirit Soni, a member of the Gujarat State Council of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, stressed the importance of solving persistent issues like drinking water shortages in industrial zones such as Sihor GIDC in Bhavnagar to improve the ease of doing business for existing industries.
The summit's agenda is packed with key activities designed to foster growth, including trade shows, exhibitions, MoU signings, B2B and B2G meetings, buyer-seller meets, vendor development programmes, and visits to major industrial and tourist sites across Saurashtra and Kutch.
