Goyal Praises Modi's Gujarat Push: Solar Boom & Regional Summits

Speaking at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Summit in Rajkot, Goyal said the initiatives launched over the past two days reflect a renewed development momentum for the state.

"PM Modi has completed two significant tasks in two days," he said.

Addressing participants at the summit, Goyal said, "I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for completing two important tasks in two days. By launching the Somnath Swabhiman Parva, he has brought pride to Gujarat. And by inaugurating the Saurashtra-Kutch Regional Summit in Rajkot, he has set a new development journey in motion."

He added that regional summits such as these will play a major role in India's aspiration to become a developed nation by 2047.

Goyal, however, avoided commenting on the ongoing tariff dispute while focusing on the energy sector and Gujarat's leadership in solar power.

The Union Minister also participated in a seminar on the free electricity scheme, held as part of the regional summit, along with Gujarat Cabinet Ministers Rushikesh Patel and Jitu Vaghani.

During the session, he discussed the transformation of India's energy sector over the past decade.

Highlighting the exponential rise in renewable energy capacity, Goyal noted, "The capacity of solar energy that was being generated in 2014 has now increased fifty-fold."

He also praised Gujarat's pioneering role in solar energy, calling it a national model.

"There has always been a Gujarat model in the solar energy sector. I still remember, I came to Gujarat just ten days after becoming the Energy Minister," he said, acknowledging the state's early adoption and innovation in the renewable space.

Goyal's remarks come amid a series of high-profile engagements in Gujarat, underscoring the state's continued importance in India's economic and energy landscape.

The Vibrant Gujarat Summit, launched in 2003 by then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, began as an ambitious effort to rebuild investor confidence in Gujarat after the 2001 earthquake and the economic slowdown that followed.

What started as a state-level investment meet quickly evolved into one of India's most influential global business summits, held biennially and designed to position Gujarat as an international hub for trade, manufacturing and innovation.

Over the years, it has attracted world leaders, Fortune 500 CEOs, global policymakers and industry giants, leading to major investments across sectors such as renewable energy, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, ports, finance and technology.

- IANS