Vadodara, June 29 (IANS) The state government will develop Chhota Udepur district as India’s next sports equipment manufacturing hub and transform Vadodara district into the country’s largest Blue Economy hub as part of a long-term development strategy for Central Gujarat, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi announced on Monday while outlining the region’s economic roadmap at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC).
Addressing investors, diplomats and industry representatives, Sanghavi said the state had prepared a 20-year ‘Central Gujarat Economic Master Plan’ aimed at building on the region’s industrial strength while expanding into new sectors such as aerospace, defence and the blue economy.
“We have prepared the Central Gujarat Economic Master Plan. The blueprint for the next 20 years is completely ready. Under this plan, we are moving forward to make Chhota Udepur India’s next sports equipment hub. We are also working to develop Vadodara into the country’s largest Blue Economy hub,” he said.
Sanghavi described Central Gujarat as the “undisputed powerhouse” of the state’s economy, saying the region had consistently driven Gujarat’s industrial growth while combining its historical legacy with innovation. “Today, we are not only creating history; we are creating the future,” he said.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, Central Gujarat contributes nearly 28 per cent of the state’s manufacturing output. During the 2025-26 financial year, the region exported products worth more than USD 20.5 billion to world markets.
“The region is home to more than 65 Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) estates, with over 24,000 industrial plots currently in operation,” he noted.
Highlighting the scale of manufacturing concentrated in the region, Sanghavi emphasised that Central Gujarat accounts for 92 per cent of Gujarat’s automobile and auto component production, 70 per cent of beverage processing, and 63 per cent of the state’s pharmaceutical and electrical equipment manufacturing.
“This is all coming from the Central Gujarat cluster. We are not just participating in the global supply chain. We are leading it,” he said.
Sanghavi devoted a significant part of his address to the region’s growing aerospace and defence ecosystem, describing the Tata-Airbus C295 aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara as a landmark in India’s industrial development.
“Vadodara is home to the country’s first Tata-Airbus C295 aircraft manufacturing facility. This is not merely a factory. It is the confidence of a new India,” he said.
Recalling India’s earlier dependence on defence imports, he said the country had entered a new phase of domestic manufacturing.
“There was a time when India imported defence equipment and depended on others. Today, the first C295 aircraft built in India is ready, and its first test flight took place from this very land. The dream of touching the skies has been realised by the ‘Made in India’ Tata Airbus C295 through its successful first test flight. This is only the beginning,” he said.
He said India’s transition from importing aircraft-related equipment to manufacturing aircraft represented a broader transformation in the country’s industrial capabilities. “At one time, travelling in an aircraft was India’s dream. Today, India has begun manufacturing aircraft,” he said.
Sanghavi also highlighted Central Gujarat’s historical and cultural significance, describing Vadodara as a city where “history, innovation and culture breathe together”.
He referred to the 1918 Kheda Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi, saying that the cooperative movement that began in Anand had transformed the district into the “Milk Capital of India” through Amul.
“I congratulate everyone associated with the cooperative sector,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also pointed to the cultural diversity of Panchmahal, Mahisagar, Dahod and Chhota Udepur, saying the tribal heritage of these districts remained a source of pride for Gujarat.
He described the Statue of Unity in Narmada district as a symbol of national pride that continues to attract visitors from across India and abroad.
“The Statue of Unity is not only the pride of Gujarat but of the entire country. People from India and across the world come to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and draw inspiration from his life,” he said.
–IANS
mys/dpb