Ahead of its Vibrant Gujarat investment summit in January next year, a high-powered delegation is holding a series of road shows in the US, to woo American investors to Gujarat.
Led by Ravi Saxena, Gujarat’s Additional Secretary for Science and Technology, the delegation comprising officials and businessmen, held its first road show in Palo Alto, California over the weekend and is now headed to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.
In his address to the business community in Palo Alto at an event organised by the US India Business Council (USIBC) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Saxena said transparency, accountability and promotion of businesses have been the main factors behind Gujarat’s success.
In his presentation Saxena pointed to Gujarat’s strengths in terms of reliable energy and infrastructure systems, the entrepreneurial spirit of its people, its strategic location providing access into India from its western coast, and a young and dynamic population as some of the main reasons why businesses in California should look to invest in Gujarat.
He particularly pointed to the strength of the Gujarati diaspora in the US, which provides a natural bridge, connecting both countries.
Major priority sectors for Gujarat over the next 5-10 years include education, healthcare and nutrition, he added.
Raj Nathan, CMO, Sybase said in terms of investments, Gujarat not just participates, but dominates, as evidenced in the fact that 22 per cent of India’s exports come from Gujarat which has just nine per cent of the country’s workforce.
Other members of the delegation include R. J. Shah, CEO, Dahej SEZ; Nayan Parikh, CEO, Nayan Parikh and Consultants; Deval Parikh, Managing Director, Epiphania; Jaimin Shah, Founder Director, Adev Information Technology Private Ltd; and Nirav Shah, Managing Director, Jaiatma Infomatics Private Ltd.