Vadodara: The fourth Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC), held for the ten districts of Central Gujarat, concluded in Vadodara on Tuesday, garnering investment commitments for over Rs 3.34 lakh crore through 3,759 MoUs which are likely to create nearly 2 lakh jobs.Chief minister Bhupendra Patel announced the figures at the valedictory function in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh and Union minister for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh.
The three earlier regional conferences held at Mehsana, Surat and Rajkot attracted 9,499 MoUs worth Rs 13.30 lakh crore. Together, the four conferences — organised ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2027 — have recorded 13,258 MoUs with proposed investments of Rs 16.64 lakh crore.Additional chief secretary (industries) Mamta Verma said the four regional conferences also resulted in the announcement of 33 new smart GIDC estates covering 13,000 acres across the state.Four defence companies alone committed investments worth Rs 2,550 crore for projects in Vadodara, Kheda, Rajkot and Ahmedabad on the second day of the conference in Vadodara.
The concluding day saw fresh investment announcements in food processing, fisheries, power and financial services. The food processing sector attracted MoUs worth around Rs 900 crore, expected to create nearly 5,700 jobs.Mother Dairy announced a Rs 440 crore potato processing plant at Itola, Charotar FPO committed Rs 350 crore for an integrated agro-food cluster at Petlad, while Citadel Gears proposed a Rs 110 crore food and agro-processing park in Vadodara.The fisheries department signed agreements worth Rs 70 crore for shrimp farming projects in Bharuch, while GIPCL signed six MoUs linked to employment-generating initiatives.GIFT City also exchanged MoUs and letters of intent with international and domestic partners, including the Da Nang administration from Vietnam, Tata Communications, Collabera, CEPT University and Finansham Education, to strengthen fintech, talent development, research and global business linkages.Addressing the gathering, Patel credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Reform, Perform and Transform” approach for creating a favourable policy environment that has strengthened India’s economy and improved ease of doing business through digital governance, simplified regulations, single-window systems, support for MSMEs and transparent administrative mechanisms.He said that despite global geopolitical challenges, India had protected its economic interests and expanded market access through nine free trade agreements.Patel said foreign direct investment into India tripled over the past 12 years and crossed Rs 15 lakh crore, while inward remittances touched around Rs 13 lakh crore in 2025, reflecting growing global confidence.Referring to support for entrepreneurs, Patel said loans worth around Rs 40 lakh crore had been extended under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana after the Covid pandemic. He added that India has emerged as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem with around 2.2 lakh startups generating more than 23 lakh jobs.The chief minister said the biennial Vibrant Gujarat Summit has evolved into a globally recognised investment platform over the last two decades, while the regional conferences are helping take the benefits of industrialisation to smaller towns and districts, contributing to Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047.
