Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], October 10 : On the second day of the two-day Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) - North Gujarat, organised in Mehsana, a Regional MSME Conclave was held on October 10, 2025. The conclave was organized with the main theme 'Udyam Utkarsh: Strengthening MSMEs, Strengthening Bharat'.
Addressing the conclave, Gujarat's MSME Commissioner Shri Sandip J. Sagale (IAS), stated that two decades ago, India's Prime Minister and then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Narendra Modi, conceptualised the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, which began in 2003. Today, in order to bring the benefits of this summit to the regional level, Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conferences are being organized across the state, which will help realize the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Speaking about Gujarat's MSMEs, Shri Sandip Sagale praised their resilience and enterprise, noting that they drive employment, boost industrial output, and play a vital role in strengthening both Gujarat's and India's economies. He added that as India moves towards Viksit Bharat, MSMEs must go beyond survival to achieve sustainable growth amid global challenges. To strengthen MSMEs, he emphasised focusing on four key aspects: (1) Customer Focus, (2) Global Integration, (3) Digital Transformation, and (4) Resilience and Innovation.
Concluding his address, he said Gujarat has long led India's industrial growth through its spirit of enterprise, carried forward by its MSMEs. Strengthening them, he noted, is key--when MSMEs prosper, Gujarat prospers, bringing the vision of Viksit Bharat closer to reality.
Following this, Shri Meetul Patel, Founder of the Wadhwani Foundation, delivered a presentation on 'Unlocking the Growth Potential of Gujarat's MSMEs'. He stated that the vision of the Wadhwani Foundation aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat. In his presentation, he shared insights into the importance of MSMEs and their role in boosting the economies of Gujarat and India. He also explained the concept of a Virtual Business Growth Accelerator for North Gujarat.
Thereafter, a panel discussion was held on the topic 'From Clusters to Competitiveness: Enabling MSMEs for Global Trade'. The panel discussions provided guidance to small industries on integrating into global value chains through export diversification, effective utilisation of free trade agreement, navigating tariff regimes and building resilience against trade uncertainties.
The panel included Ms. Zlata Antusheva- Lead of GR & Finance Sector- Trade Representation of Russia in India; Dr. Milind Kamble- Founder Chairman- DICCI; Ms. Hirva Mamtora- MD & CEO-India Exim Finserve ; Dr. Rahul Singh, ITS- Joint DGFT-DGFT Ahmedabad (Moderator) ; Mr. Jaideep Bhatia- CEO-Mantra Agri Solutions Private Limited ; Dr. Ashutosh Murkute-Director General- National Institute for Small and Medium Enterprises and Mr. Shankho Gupta, Director, Sber bank India.
This panel discussion focused on equipping MSMEs with knowledge and strategies to expand their global footprint by understanding regulatory frameworks, addressing supply chain challenges, building resilience against tariff and policy shifts, and aligning with international standards of quality and sustainability. The discussion provided practical insights on market accessibility, export diversification, and global linkages--empowering MSMEs to move beyond clusters, enhance global competitiveness, and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Towards the end of the program, a Vendor Development Program was conducted by Shri Vihar Thaker-Western Railway; Shri Ravi Jain- ONGC Mehsana; Shri. Mandar Gadgil, Maruti Suzuki - Gujarat Plant and Shri Anand Soda- TATA Agratas.
Notably, with the mantra 'Har Ghar Swadeshi, Ghar Ghar Swadeshi,' the two-day Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) - North Gujarat was organised at Ganpat University, Mehsana, on October 9 and 10, 2025. This is the first in a series of four VGRCs being held across Gujarat, inaugurated yesterday by Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel. These regional conferences are being organised based on the success and legacy of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. The conferences will showcase the regional potential of the state, leverage grassroots-level development, and align with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and Viksit Gujarat @2047.