Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi a meeting with the team of DGVCL, as part of the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRE), in Surat. (PTI Photo)Singapore will build a first-of-its-kind ‘AI indoor garden’ on the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, Singapore High Commission to India Simon Wong announced at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Surat on Friday.Singapore firm Surbana Jurong is implementing the phase-1 of the riverfront connecting GIFT City in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad.Speaking at the inauguration of the VGRC at Auro University, Wong said, “One in four Singapore women wear natural or lab-grown diamonds cut and produced in Surat…one in four Singaporeans wear denim produced in Surat”.He stated that 50% of Indian exports to Singapore are from Gujarat in terms of petrochemicals, jewellery, textiles, pharma and new machinery and added that the country will make a “big announcement” in the main Vibrant Gujarat summit to be held in January next year.Japanese ambassador Keiichi Ono said “Leading Japanese companies that are at the forefront of gas and other materials are preparing to launch new projects in Gujarat. This initiative is expected to make a significant contribution to Gujarat’s industrial development. Surat is a major hub in the high-speed rail project, which the Government of Japan strongly believes in. In Gujarat, Maurit Suzuki is working on a plant to produce biogas from cow dung.”Japan is among the oldest partner countries in Vibrant Gujarat.Keiichi added, “Next year will mark 75 years of a strong diplomatic relationship between Japan and India. To further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, I would like to organise a series of special events in 2027 with the Central and State governments and the business communities, not only in Delhi but also across other parts of India. I look forward to working with the Gujarat state to make the 75th anniversary memorable and special. ”Story continues below this adUkraine Ambassador Oleksander Polishchuk said that last year trade between Ukraine and India “reached 207 billion US dollars” which he described as “a strong positive signal”. Ukraine has become a partner country for the Vibrant Gujarat event in 2024.Managing Executive Officer of Nippon Steel Corporation Nobuo Okochi said, “for Nippon Steel, the most important country is India and AM/NS is our largest business partner. As a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, we are investing heavily in Hazira. We are making significant investments to expand capacity and manufacture high-quality steel.”CM Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister along with state cabinet ministers and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil visited various pavilions and stalls of exhibition areas and discussed with the industrialists and startup representatives.This two-day conference covering six districts of South Gujarat, is being attended by representatives from industry, agriculture, MSME and the service sectors, etc..Story continues below this adIn his address, CM Bhupendra Patel encouraged the participation of the private sector, industrialists, and youth in the state’s development. He said, “While Gujarat is moving forward as the ‘growth engine’ of the country, the state government has adopted an innovative approach of organising such conferences at the regional level to make the global vision of ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ broader. Through this initiative, efforts have been made to promote development opportunities in every area of the state.”Addressing the gathering, Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil said, “Many states across the country had studied the Vibrant Gujarat summit events, and travelled to foreign countries and worked on such an event in their own states and brought foreign investments. To meet the future requirement of drinking water for the people of Surat and for the construction of the Tapi River barrage project, our ministry has approved an allotment of Rs. 600 crores, and the state government has also approved Rs. 600 crores, and SMC will bear Rs. 200 crores.”Deputy Chief Minister and state industry minister Harsh Sanghavi said, “When the Vibrant Gujarat event started in 2003, the state GDP was Rs. 1.29 lakh crore. In 2012-13, it reached Rs. 7.20 lakh crore, in 2022-23 it reached Rs. 21.90 lakh crore, and in 2025 the Gujarat GDP has reached Rs. 27.4 lakh crore.”He said that in Gujarat there is an ecosystem where capital flows, business scales, and jobs are created. In Foreign Direct Investment, Gujarat topped the country. He said, “Gujarat, compared with other states, has given more incentives to industry people. Incentives given by the state government to industry people in the last financial year were Rs. 5619 crores, and in the current year it will reach Rs 7300 crore. On Thursday, we delivered Rs. 1300 crore as incentives to 11,000 businessmen across the state. Earlier, around 199 pending files in the industry department were disposed of per day; today it has reached 392 files, and in the coming days our target is to clear 500 files, so that many investors can benefit and receive incentives early.”Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs. Expertise Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs. Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including: Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives. Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress. Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli). Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... 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