Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], April 29 (ANI): The third edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) for the South Gujarat region is scheduled on Gujarat Day on 1st and 2nd May 2026 at AURO University, Surat.

In conjunction with the Conference, Gujarat Sthapana Divas celebrations are scheduled on the evening of 1st May by the State Government in Surat. The celebrations will feature tableaus of various departments during a parade, starting from Y-Junction and a cultural programme curated by the General Administration Department at Dumas Seafront.

According to the CMO, VGRC South Gujarat will commence with the inauguration of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Exhibition (VGRE), followed by the inaugural session of the Regional Conference. Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel will address the gathering during the inaugural session.

The inaugural session will commence with opening remarks and a presentation by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and addresses from Ambassadors or High Commissioners of Partner Countries and prominent industrialists, the press release stated.

For VGRC South Gujarat, Japan, Rwanda, Ukraine and Singapore have confirmed as Partner Countries and Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Trade Representation of the Russian Federation, US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), The American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in India and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) as Partner Organisations, respectively.

Over the two-day conference, a series of seminars, panel discussions and roundtables will be organised, covering a wide spectrum of sectors and emerging opportunities. Day-1 will feature seminars on sectors such as agriculture and horticulture, textiles, chemicals & petrochemicals, startups, nuclear power, fertiliser, natural gas, etc., amid evolving global supply chains. Additionally, country seminars will be conducted by Japan and Ukraine, as well as on themes like women's empowerment.

On day-2, the Regional MSME Conclave will be conducted, along with sectoral seminars on gems & jewellery, circular economy, skill development, aerospace and defence, fisheries & cooperatives, green energy & green hydrogen, eco-tourism, city economic region development, etc.

Alongside the conference, the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Exhibition will be organised at the same venue from May 1 to 5. It will comprise parallel events such as the Vendor Development Programme, International Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet (RBSM) and the Udyami Mela. The exhibition will offer an enhanced platform for industries, MSMEs, startups and government departments from South Gujarat districts, namely Bharuch, Dang, Navsari, Surat, Tapi and Valsad.

Through key enablers such as strategic partnerships and investor engagement, the State Government aims to accelerate industrial development while ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth across South Gujarat.

The Regional Conferences will boost regional industrial growth, attract sector-specific investments and strengthen global engagements, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated VGRC (Kutch & Saurashtra), which was held on 11th-12th January 2026 at Marwadi University, Rajkot. Japan, South Korea, Rwanda, and Ukraine were Partner Countries for this VGRC. Ceramics, engineering, ports and logistics, fisheries, petrochemicals, agro and food processing, minerals, and green energy ecosystem were focus sectors for VGRC (Kutch & Saurashtra).

The 1st edition of VGRC, inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, was held on October 9-10, 2025, at Ganpat University, Mehsana. During VGRC (North Gujarat), key sectors such as agro and food processing, auto and auto components, green energy ecosystem and engineering were highlighted.

VGRCs also serve as instruments for co-creating Gujarat's growth story by empowering regional economies, promoting innovation and facilitating strategic investments across the State. (ANI)