The Vibrant Gujarat Summits, held biennially since 2003, have been a major success, attracting investment proposals worth over US$ 370 billion. On January 12th and 13th, 2011 the 5th Vibrant Gujarat Summit took placed at the new purpose-built Mahatma Mandir, in the State capital, Gandhinagar.

The Vibrant Gujarat Summits aim to facilitate investment alliances for the participating countries; they are the ideal platform to explore business opportunities in Gujarat, in India and across the world.

“Gujarat, with its all inclusive, sustainable and rapid growth, is emerging as a globally preferred place to live in and to do business.”
Narendra Modi
Chief Minister of Gujarat

Some 35 business jets and choppers ferrying the country’s top industrialists and political leaders have descended at Ahmedabad for the Vibrant Gujarat two-day biennial conclave that started on Wednesday.

Airport authorities said Wednesday morning that they were also ready for some last-minute landing of private aircrafts – a few of them from overseas. Delegates have also been pouring in from some 60 countries, including Japan, the US, Canada, Australia and even Rwanda and Mozambique.

Looking at the number of India’s top industrialists who have gathered here for the two-day Vibrant Gujarat Summit, it seemed like a high-profile meeting of Who’s Who of India Inc.

Such has been Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s pull that virtually every company among the top 50 in terms of market capitalization was represented by their chiefs – many already with a presence in Gujarat and others planning nonetheless.

‘Across the world, people today recognize Gujarat and Gujaratis as being synonymous with enterprise and industry. Gujarat is to India what India is – and will be – to the rest of the world,’ industrialist Anil Ambani said.

Others in attendance included Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Gautam Adani, AM Naik, Adi Godrej, Anand Mahindra, GM Rao, Ajit Gulabchand, Tulsi Tanti, S Ramdorai and Karsanbhai Patel.