Bharuch: Gujarat continues to lead India’s industrial growth, with Bharuch district emerging as a major hub for the chemical and petrochemical industry. Industrial clusters at Ankleshwar, Panoli, Jhagadia, Dahej, Saykha, and Vilayat have helped the district develop a strong manufacturing base, earning it the tag of the “Chemical Capital of India,” an official press release said.

To further boost industrial expansion, the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC), South Gujarat 2026 will be held in Surat. The conference will bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, and is expected to create new opportunities for investment, technology collaboration, and global partnerships.

Around 1,394 small, medium, and large industries are operating in Bharuch district across chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, dyes, pigments, agrochemicals, pesticides, textiles, and fibers. Nearly 45% of the chemical units are located in Ankleshwar, Panoli, Jhagadia, Dahej, Saykha, and Vilayat, providing employment to about 2 lakh people.

Strong infrastructure, skilled manpower, and industry-friendly policies have supported rapid industrialisation in the district. Bharuch alone contributes about 19% of India’s chemical exports, while Gujarat accounts for nearly 45% of the country’s total chemical exports, highlighting the state’s global competitiveness. Products manufactured in the district are exported to countries including the United States, Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, and South Africa, the government note stated.

Under VGRC South Gujarat, sector-focused sessions, investment meets, startup interactions, and innovation dialogues will help industries adopt global standards and attract new investments. The event is also expected to strengthen logistics, trade, and industrial collaboration in South Gujarat.

Alongside industrial growth, environmental safeguards have been strengthened through Common Effluent Treatment Plants, Zero Liquid Discharge systems, and pollution-control facilities. Hazardous waste disposal sites and deep-sea effluent discharge systems approved by NEERI are operational, with monitoring by GPCB and CPCB.

Government initiatives such as industrial estates, subsidies, GST reimbursement, easy land allotment, and single-window clearances have improved ease of doing business and encouraged new investments.

The Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) in the Dahej area, spread over 452.98 sq km, is expected to attract large-scale investment and further strengthen Bharuch’s position as a global chemical manufacturing hub.

With VGRC and PCPIR initiatives, Bharuch is set to emerge not only as the country’s chemical centre but also as a key industrial growth engine on the global map. DeshGujarat