'Gujarat shows how development and heritage go together': PM Modi at Vibrant Gujarat Conference – Top 10 quotes | Today News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that Gujarat has shown how development and heritage can go together.

“This is my first visit to Gujarat since the beginning of 2026. It is all the more pleasant because my 2026 journey began with paying my respects at the feet of Somnath Dada. I am participating in this magnificent event in Rajkot, in the heart of Gujarat. This means both development and heritage. This mantra is resonating everywhere,” PM Modi said in his speech during Vibrant Gujarat's Regional Conference in Rajkot on 11 January.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the two-day Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) for the Saurashtra-Kutch region of Gujarat today in Rajkot. The conference is aimed at bringing together innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, startups, global partners and government, among others.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi were also present at the inauguration.

The summit features over 1,800 B2B meetings with 1,500 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs)expected to be signed with over 110 international buyers participating in the event, officials said.

Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated 13 New Smart Industrial Estates in 7 Districts (Amreli, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Kutch, Morbi, Rajkot and Surendranagar) spanning an area of over 3540 Acres by Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation before his address on Sunday.

Earlier speaking on the occasion. Chairman & Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited, Mukesh Ambani promised that the group will invest ₹7 lakh crores over the next five years in the state. Karan Adani, MD of Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd committed to invest 1.5 lakh crores on behalf of the Adani group over the next five years in the region of Kutch.

The two-day regional high-profile conference caters to 12 districts across the Kutch and Saurashtra regions. The conference aims to usher in fresh momentum for investment and industrial growth in western Gujarat.

Spread across the 55-acre Marwadi University campus on the Rajkot–Morbi highway, the venue includes six exhibition domes and a main inauguration hall.

Here are top quotes from PM Modi's speech at the conference: 1- This is my first visit to Gujarat since the beginning of 2026. It is all the more pleasant because my 2026 journey began with paying my respects at the feet of Somnath Dada. I am participating in this magnificent event in Rajkot, in the heart of Gujarat. This means both development and heritage. This mantra is resonating everywhere.

2- Whenever the Vibrant Gujarat Summit platform is set up, I don't just see a Summit, I see the journey of modern India in the 21st century, a journey that began with a dream and has now reached a point of unwavering confidence. In two decades, the Vibrant Gujarat journey has become a global benchmark. Ten editions have been held so far, and with each edition, the identity and role of this summit have grown stronger.

3- In the initial stages, our aim was to introduce the world to Gujarat's potential. We wanted people to come here, invest here, and for India to benefit from it. We also wanted investors from around the world to benefit.

4- But today, this Summit has gone beyond just investment and has become a strong platform for global growth, international cooperation, and partnerships. Over the years, the number of global partners has continuously increased, and with time, this summit has also become a great example of inclusion.

5- Here, corporate groups, along with cooperatives, MSMEs, startups, multilateral and bilateral organisations, and international financial institutions, all engage in dialogue and discussions together. They walk hand in hand with Gujarat's development. Over the past two decades, the Vibrant Gujarat Summit has consistently done something new, something special.

6-India is the world’s fastest-growing large economy and inflation is under control. India is progressing fast to become world's third-largest economy.

7-Agricultural production in India is setting new records, and the country ranks number one in milk production. India is also the world’s largest producer of vaccines.

8-India’s growth reflects the success story of the mantra of reform, perform and transform. Over the past 11 years, India has become the world’s largest consumer of mobile data."