- Re-emphasis industry’s role as a driving force for inclusive, balanced, and sustainable growth
- We must leverage Gujarat’s strengths to propel India’s economic growth by enhancing innovation and technology adoption, building a skilled workforce, embracing sustainability, and enhancing industry-academia collaboration: Darshan Shah, Chairman of CII Gujarat State Council and MD of Hitachi Hi-Rel Power Electronics
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, MARCH 16
The CII Gujarat Annual Meeting 2024, organised under the overarching theme of “Viksit Gujarat – Powering a Prosperous India”, brought together industry leaders, policymakers, diplomats, and thought leaders to deliberate on strategies to propel Gujarat towards sustained prosperity while contributing to India’s economic growth trajectory
In his welcome address, Darshan Shah, Chairman of CII Gujarat State Council and Managing Director of Hitachi Hi-Rel Power Electronics, described Gujarat as a land of opportunity and spoke about the state’s pivotal contribution to Indian economy.
“With robust infrastructure, business-friendly policies, and a skilled workforce, Gujarat is poised to strengthen India’s integration with the global economy and propelling its journey towards becoming a $5 trillion economy. We must leverage Gujarat’s strengths to propel India’s economic growth by enhancing innovation and technology adoption, building a skilled workforce, embracing sustainability, and enhancing industry-academia collaboration,” Shah said.
He added that CII Gujarat has been instrumental in partnering with the state government to establish Gujarat as a beacon of industrial growth, catalysing trade and investment opportunities.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Gujarat State Council’s Annual Meeting for 2024 served as a platform to align the state’s aspirations with the national vision set forth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aiming for a Viksit Bharat (developed India) by 2047, when India celebrates 100 years of its independence.
In her address, Swati Salgaocar, Deputy Chairperson of CII Western Region and President of VM Salgaocar & Brothers, highlighted Gujarat’s emergence as a technological and intellectual powerhouse.
“The confluence of advanced technology, native entrepreneurship and pertinent leadership has led to acceleration of industrial growth in the state and continues to pave way for businesses to flourish. As an industrialised state with the fastest growth rates and significant share in output and exports, Gujarat is undoubtedly the growth engine of India. This is the right time to reemphasis industry’s role as a driving force for inclusive, balanced, and sustainable growth,” Salgaocar said.
Anita Kelly, Consul General of Ireland, underscored the importance of close Indo-Irish relations and emphasised her country’s commitment to supporting India’s economic success story.
“Ireland offers expertise in key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and financial services, along with access to the European regulatory system. We have a lot to offer to Gujarati companies,” she remarked.
Mike Hankley, Consul General of the United States, reaffirmed the special bond between the US and India as reflected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic state visit to the White House and President Joe Biden’s participation in the G20 Summit in India. He emphasised collaboration across sectors such as defence, environment, technology, and education.
“The US is committed to being a partner in India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat,” Hankley said.
Presenting the vote of thanks, Kulin Lalbhai, Vice Chairman of CII Gujarat State Council and Executive Director of Arvind, said it is critical for Gujarat to become Viksit for India to become Viksit Bharat. He said Gujarat will have to reinvent itself and become a leader in new-age sectors like renewable, hydrogen, and semiconductors to continue to punch above its weight and become a half a trillion dollar economy.
The first day of the CII Gujarat Annual Meeting also witnessed an insightful session on Opportunities in Africa, panel discussions on Gujarat’s chemical industry and Gujarat’s MSME sector. A roundtable on streamlining regulatory processes and enhancing ease of doing business in Gujarat was also on the agenda.
