On 17th January 2019, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi embarked on a three day visit to Gujarat. He participated in various events and also inaugurated the ninth edition of the flagship bi-annual global investors summit Vibrant Gujarat. The Theme of the 9th edition of Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit 2019 was “Shaping a new India”. The Visit concluded on 19th January 2019.
PM inaugurated Ninth Edition of Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Gandhinagar
On 18th January 2019, the 9th edition of Vibrant Gujarat Summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at Mahatma Mandir Exhibition cum Convention Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The three-day investors’ meet will last till 20thJanuary 2019.
Key Points:
- The main theme of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit 2019 is “Shaping a new India”.
- The summit provided a platform for brainstorming on agenda of global socio-economic development, knowledge-sharing and forging effective partnerships.
- The summit witnessed the participation of the heads of five countries – witness the participation of the heads of five countries: Uzbekistan, Rwanda, Denmark, Czech Republic and Malta and over 30,000 national and international delegates.
- The government, for the first time organised buyer-seller and reserve buyer-seller meet as part of the trade show, where manufacturers, mainly from the MSME sector, are displaying their products.
- Exhibition on Futuristic Technologies and Space Exploration, Seminar on Port Led Development & Strategies to establish India as the Trans-shipment Hub of Asia was also organised during the summit.
- Besides there was a separate pavilion showcasing products from the African countries.
- During the three-day meet the major events included a Round-table interaction with the heads of global funds, ‘Africa Day’, an MSME convention, Roundtable for Opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education & Research.
- The first edition of Vibrant Gujarat Summit was held in 2003 under the guidance of the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
About Gujarat:
♦ Capital: Gandhinagar
♦ Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani
♦ Governor: Om Prakash Kohli
♦ National Parks (NP) in Gujarat: Gir Forest NP, Blackbuck NP, Marine NP and Vansda NP
Global Trade Show- the flagship event in the run up to Vibrant Gujarat Summit inaugurated by PM in Gandhinagar
On 17th January 2019, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Trade Show at the Mahatma Mandir Exhibition cum Convention Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in the run up to the start of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.
Key Points:
- The Global trade show was spread over an area of 200,000 sq. mts, with more than 25 industrial and business sectors showcasing their ideas, products and designs under one umbrella.
- Prime Minister also inaugurated the Ahmedabad Shopping Festival 2019 during the event.
- The Summit witnessed the launch of a completely new set of forums aimed at diversifying the nature of knowledge sharing at the Summit, and intensifying the level of networking between participants.
- During the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019,28,360 Memorandums of Understanding were signed and it was expected to generate over 21 lakh jobs.
PM inaugurated the Ahmedabad Shopping Festival-2019
On 17th January 2019, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 10 days long Ahmedabad Shopping Festival-2019 at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad. The festival is being held simultaneously with the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.The Shopping Festival 2019 will conclude on 28th January,2019.
Key Points:
- The festival is being managed by the Vibrant Shopping Festival Organizing Federation and is guided by iNDEXTb and Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC).
- The festival brings together over 5000 brands to offer a unique shopping experience along with lucky draw of prizes worth up to Crores and assured Gift Vouchers with great offers.
- Besides a mobile application named ASF 2019 App was also lunched by the organisers to experience and participate in the first biggest ever shopping festival of India.
About Ahmedabad:
♦ India’s First world heritage city
♦ Nicknames: Manchester of India, Boston of India.
PM Modi inaugurated Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical Sciences & Research
On 17th January 2019, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical Sciences and Research a super-speciality public hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat which will strengthen the efforts to provide quality healthcare to the poor.
Key Points:
- The institute which is built by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation at the cost of Rs 750 crore, is equipped with all modern amenities including an air ambulance and is linked with Ayushman Bharat to provide services at an affordable price.
- The institute will run by the Ahmedabad municipal corporation and consists of a 17-floor, 1,500-bed hospital.
- Out Of 1500 beds, 1300 beds are in General Ward and 200 beds are in the executive class. Besides there are 32 high class Operation Theatres with 139 ICU bed. The OPDs will have 90 consultation rooms with 20 specialists to serve.
PM unveiled a statue of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai
On 17th January 2019, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi unveiled a statue of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the father of Indian space programme at Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Key Points:
- The statue was commissioned by Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and was closely supervised by Kartikeya Sarabhai and Mallika Sarabhai, the son and daughter of Dr. Sarabhai.
- The statue was installed to mark the innovator’s birth centenary year, and to instill a scientific temperament among Gujarat’s children.
- The statue which has been sculpted by Ahmedabad-based artist Dhruv Shilpi is 6-ft-tall, made up of bronze statue and weighs 1,050 kg. It shows Dr Sarabhai seated on a chair and work on his table.
- A public gallery was also set up adjacent to the statue featuring Vikram Sarabhai’s life and work.
About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):
♦ Director: Kailasavadivoo Sivan
♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru
♦ Founded: 15 August 1969
♦ Founder: Dr. Vikram Sarabhai
PM Modi inaugurated L&T’s K9 Vajra gun-making facility complex in Hazira, Gujarat
On 19th January 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Larsen & Toubro (L&T) facility called Armoured Systems Complex (ASC), the first private facility in the country where the K9 Vajra self-propelled Howitzer guns will be manufactured at Hazira near Surat in Gujarat.
Key Points:
- Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also present on the occasion.
- The ASC is a state-of-the-art facility to manufacture and integrate advanced armoured platforms such as self-propelled artillery Howitzers, future infantry combat vehicles (FICV), future ready combat vehicles (FRCV) or future main battle tanks.
- The ASC is spread over 40 acres, within L&T’s 755-acre Hazira manufacturing complex.
- The facility at Hazira came after Larsen & Toubro had won the Rs. 4,500-crore contract to supply 100 units of the K9 Vajra-T 155 mm/52 calibre Tracked Self-Propelled gun systems to the Indian Army in 2017 under the Centre’s ”Make in India”initiative.
- It is the largest contract awarded to a private company by the Ministry of Defence which involves delivery of 100 K9 Vajra systems in 42 months with an associated engineering support package (ESP) covering spares, documentation and training and maintenance transfer of technology (MToT) to the Army Base Workshop to support Howitzer regiments throughout their life cycle.
- To manufacture it in India, L&T had signed a transfer of technology contract for guns with South Korean company Hanwha Corporation.
- It is the first manufacturing facility in the private sector to produce advanced armoured platforms for the defence sector besides being the 10th manufacturing unit of the technology, engineering, construction, defence and services conglomerate.
About Ministry of Defence:
♦ Minister: Nirmala Sitharaman
♦ Minister of State: Dr. Subhash Ramrao Bhamre
Gujarat govt signs around 130 MoUs with investment commitments worth over Rs 56,000 cr in various sectors
On 17th January 2019, Gujarat government signed around 130 MoUs with investment commitments worth over 56,000 crore rupees in various sectors during the three-day Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
Key Points:
i. A majority of the MoUs, also called Investment Intentions (IIs), were signed in the port and transport sector.
ii. Tsingshan group of China committed to invest Rs 21,000 crore to set up a steel plant and a facility to manufacture car batteries in Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR).
iii. MoUs worth over 35,000 crore rupees were signed during the opening day of the three-day business conclave besides this mega agreement. Some of them are explained below.
- A MoU was signed with Petronet LNG Ltd with an intended investment of Rs 2,100 crore for expansion of their existing LNG Port Terminal at Dahej.
- HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd signed a MoU with an intended investment of Rs 1,400 crore for development of Single Point Mooring System and Crude Oil Terminal at Mandvi.
- Furthermore HPCL signed another MoU of Rs 1,350 crore for LPG import facilities along with a jetty at Dahej Port and LPG cavern and pumping facilities at Ankleshwar.
- Adani Group Signed MoU with an intended cumulative investment of Rs 3,500 crore across three projects – development of a captive jetty at Kori Creek, cargo handling terminal at Mundra and Ro-Ro ferry facility at Mundra.
- Essar Group intended to cumulatively invest Rs 7,485 crore across two projects – development of port-based Smart City and an LNG terminal at Hazira.
About China:
♦ President: Xi Jinping
♦ Capital: Beijing
♦ Currency: Renminbi
Netherlands takes long-term view on prospects for investment in Gujarat
During the on-going Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Netherlands expressed optimism about investment in Gujarat by intending to sign 10 MoUs with core focus areas being Food Agri & Horticulture, Smart Cities, Renewable Energy, and Logistics & Maritime.
Key Points:
- Menno Snel, Minister of Finance for Taxation & Customs of the Netherlands, along with Ambassador of the Netherlands to India H.E. Marten van den Berg led a delegation of more than 100 Dutch business officials from 54 organisations at the three-day business conclave being held at Gandhinagar.
- Of the 10 MoUs, 2 are Government to Government (G2G) MoUs and 7 are B2G (between Dutch Businesses and Gujarat Government) and 1 is Business to Business (B2B).
- The MoUs signed are from varying sectors including Smart Cities, Healthcare, Agricultural Co-operation in Saline Farming, Horticulture, Solar Energy, Healthcare, Wind Energy, Cruise Infrastructure, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Security and Textile sector.
About Netherlands:
♦ Capital: Amsterdam
♦ Currencies: Euro, United States Dollar
♦ Prime Minister: Mark Rutte
Prime Minister also laid foundation stone of Nirali Cancer Hospital at Navsari
On 19th January 2019, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of Nirali Cancer Hospital at Navsari District of Gujarat which will benefit cancer patients of South Gujarat and neighbouring states.
Key Points:
- The ultra-modern Nirali Cancer Hospital will be the first comprehensive cancer hospital of Navsari.
- Besides Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of a Medical College in Sayli in Silvassa, capital of Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. It is UT’s first medical college since independence.
- Furthermore Prime Minister released M-Aarogya mobile app and door to door waste collection, segregation and processing of Solid Waste in Dadra & Nagar Haveli besides introducing IT policy for Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
About Dadra and Nagar Haveli:
♦ Administrator: Praful Khoda Patel
♦ Capital: Silvassa
Other Dignitaries present in Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit
Various national and international dignitaries and delegates were present at the ninth edition of Vibrant Gujarat Summit and Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Vijay Rupani hosted the global business leaders. Some important events were mentioned below.
Prime Minister meets President of Uzbekistan on sidelines of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit-2019 in Ahmadabad
On 18th January 2019, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President of Uzbekistan Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting while attending “Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit-2019” in Ahmadabad.
Key points
- President Shavkat Mirziyoev mentioned that he is looking to attract investment from India in sector like IT, education, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agri-business and tourism for Uzbekistan.
- The exchange of contracts between the Department of Atomic Energy of India and the Novoi Minerals and Metallurgical Company of the Republic of Uzbekistan for long-term supply of Uranium Ore Concentrate for India’s energy requirements took place in presence of both the leaders
- Agreement were signed between the Export-Import Bank of India and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan on a Line of Credit of USD 200 million supported by the Government of India for financing housing and social infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan.
About Uzbekistan
♦ President- Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev
♦ Capital– Tashkent
♦ Currency- Uzbekistani som.
Visit of Prime Minister of Malta to India to attend Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019 (January 17 – 19, 2019)
On 17th January 2019, Prime Minister of Malta, Dr. Joseph Muscat visited India for the first time to attend the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019 along with a large business delegations.
- Possibilities of enhancing trade and commercial ties were discussed between the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Malta’s Prime Minister Dr. Joseph Muscat.
- India and Malta decided to cooperate in an initiative to upscale solar technologies and harness the full potential of solar energy.
Visit of the Prime Minister of Denmark to India for Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019
On 18th January 2019, Prime Minister of Denmark, Mr. Lars Lokke Rasmussen visited India along with business delegates including CEOs of major Danish companies to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. Denmark is a partner country in this year’s summit.
- MoU on Maritime tissues between the ministry of Shipping of India and the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs of Denmark were signed.
- Another MoU between imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited and the Danish Embassy in New Delhi to establish an Urban Living Lab in Panaji Goa.
Visit of Prime Minister of Czech Republic to India to attend Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019
On 17th January 2019, Prime Minister of Czech Republic, Mr. Andrej Babis along with Minister of Trade and Industry Ms. Marta Novakova visited India to attend the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019.
- On 18th January 2019, the entire gamut of bilateral relations including important global and regional issues of mutual interest was discussed between Narendra Modi and Andrej Babis.
- Andrej Babis invited the nominations of an Indian scientist for the prestigious Research and Development Council which hosts many international researchers of high repute.
Mr. John Chambers, Chairman of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum calls on the PM
On 17th January 2019, Prime Minister Narendra and Mr John Chambers, Chairman of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum discussed about bilateral trade and economic relations between India and US in Gandhinagar.
Mr. Matt Bevin, Governor of Kentucky calls on the PM
On 17th January 2019, Governor of Kentucky, Mr. Matt Bevin and India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi held discussions on growing convergence between India and US including in the areas of business and investment.