‘Study hydrogen, invest in Gujarat’: Mansukh Mandaviya pitches state as next big hub for sunrise sectors
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Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya has urged global investors to study the opportunities emerging in Gujarat’s “sunrise sectors” such as green hydrogen, hydrogen storage, data centres and semiconductors, as the state steps up its investment outreach ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2027.
Speaking at the curtain raiser of the summit, Mandaviya said Gujarat’s long-established industrial and entrepreneurial ecosystem, along with its infrastructure and policy support, gives it an advantage in attracting both domestic and multinational investment. He called on investors to participate in the January 2027 summit and explore opportunities in the state.
From chemicals to semiconductors
Mandaviya said Gujarat’s investment proposition was no longer limited to its traditional industrial strengths. The state has established clusters across chemicals and pharmaceuticals in Vapi and Ankleshwar, pharmaceuticals in Ahmedabad, ceramics in Morbi and petrochemicals in Jamnagar, besides a large port network supporting port-led industrialisation.
The next phase, he said, would be driven by new areas including hydrogen storage, green hydrogen, data centres and semiconductor manufacturing.
“These are the sunrise sectors,” Mandaviya said, stressing that investors need to examine the opportunities in these areas and determine how they can participate in Gujarat’s growth story.
He also pointed to Gujarat’s infrastructure spending, saying the state is committing around ₹1.57 lakh crore towards capital expenditure on infrastructure and has earmarked a ₹50,000 crore fund to remain prepared to capitalise on emerging opportunities.
Mandaviya said Gujarat’s investment appeal has been built over decades, citing the state’s entrepreneurial culture, stable government and industrial ecosystem. He recalled being a legislator when the first Vibrant Gujarat Investment Summit was held in 2003 and said investment had grown with successive editions of the summit.
Patel takes Gujarat’s pitch to North America
The minister’s comments come as Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel leads Gujarat’s first international roadshow ahead of VGGS 2027, covering Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco and Toronto.
The outreach is focused on semiconductors, AI, data centres, deep-tech and advanced manufacturing. In Silicon Valley, Patel held discussions with Google on AI training and applications in areas such as agriculture, while talks with Perplexity AI covered engineering and R&D, data centres and technology collaboration.
Patel also met Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra to discuss the progress of the company’s semiconductor facility in Sanand and Gujarat’s role in the global semiconductor ecosystem.
The roadshow has also targeted global supply-chain opportunities for Gujarat’s MSMEs, with discussions with Walmart aimed at connecting smaller businesses and artisans with international markets.
Mandaviya said the combination of Gujarat’s existing industrial base and new technology-led opportunities could make the state an increasingly important destination for investment in the years ahead.