Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that after achieving strong growth in manufacturing, engineering and green energy, Gujarat must now enter the top three states in the services sector and place Ahmedabad alongside the country’s leading technology hubs.
Speaking at the inauguration of Million Minds Tech Park in Ahmedabad, Shah said the projects represent a step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to expand technology, innovation and high-skilled industries in Gujarat.
He said Gujarat has led the country in several sectors since independence and will also lead in emerging technologies.
“Gujarat has performed exceptionally well across a wide range of sectors: manufacturing, engineering, pharma, ports, logistics, green energy, industrial infrastructure and investment. Now is the time to elevate Gujarat to a position among the top three states in the services sector as well,” he said, adding that when Gujarat enters a sector with determination, it will take no time at all to secure a place among the top three and will achieve the same success in the IT sector as well.
He said projects like Million Minds Tech City will create world-class infrastructure and employment opportunities and place Ahmedabad alongside the country’s leading technology destinations.
“If we are to rank alongside Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Gurugram, technology parks like this are essential for Ahmedabad to secure that position,” he added.
In his speech, Shah said that India has emerged as a leading country in the field of artificial intelligence and deep technology and that the center is promoting robotics, quantum computing, semiconductors, automation, cybersecurity, defense and space technology.
He said Gujarat has led industrial growth since independence and gained global recognition after 2002 through structured policies, infrastructural development, ease of doing business and entrepreneurship-led growth.
Shah said the center is focusing on technology parks and global capability centers as India shifts towards a service-based, high-skilled economy, with such infrastructure aimed at attracting global companies and generating high-value jobs.
Million Minds Tech Park is developed over an area of 13.5 lakh square feet at a cost of approx $1,100 crore will provide work environment for 9,000 professionals in its first phase.
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“The project will be expanded in seven phases with estimated investments $15,000 crore and is expected to generate over 63,000 high-value jobs over the next five years, according to Shah.
The project extends over an area of 65 acres, 50% for commercial use, and includes commercial centers, hotels and residential facilities, forming an integrated ecosystem.
Shah also inaugurated the campus of Ganesh Institute of Real Estate Management and said that the real estate sector requires structured professional training. The campus will initially accommodate 300 students, while a 100-acre facility will be developed near Thule Lake at an estimated cost. $500 Crores.
Shekhar Patel, MD & CEO, Ganesh Housing Limited, and National President, Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (CREDAI), said: “The City of One Million Tech Minds is fundamentally a story of economic growth and employment generation in Gujarat. We are building an ecosystem that will generate more than 70,000 jobs directly and indirectly, enable reverse migration of talent pool in Gujarat, and strengthen Ahmedabad’s position as a serious destination for global GCC companies.”
Union Minister Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat, inaugurated the innovation and incubation center at the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad on Sunday and said the institute should expand into high-tech sectors like semiconductors and chip design while helping young designers turn creativity into viable careers.
Shah said that design is not limited to art but has played a role in various sectors, including industrial and technical projects. He said India has a strong tradition of design and craftsmanship but its potential needs systematic development.
He said the goal behind NID is to promote design culture and realize its commercial value. He said many people have design skills but cannot pursue them due to social and economic constraints, adding that institutions like NID should provide access and support.
He added that the new center will support innovation, but stressed the need to guide designers in the field of marketing and entrepreneurship. He added that NID should create a separate sector to connect students with industrial and vocational opportunities.
“India will fully exploit its design capacity only when creativity is reconciled with commercial application, and the youth are encouraged to take up design as a career,” Shah said.
Referring to traditional textile art like Patola Patola, Shah said, “Indian cultural heritage reflects precision and excellence in design, and calls for greater awareness of the practical value of design.”
Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Minister of State Harsh Sanghvi were also present at the events.
