PTI 
 
AHMEDABAD, Jan 4: The forthcoming 'Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit-2009' will provide a good platform to the Indian industry to put heads together to chalk out a course of action to fight the global meltdown, said Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.

The bi-annual event organised by the Gujarat Government to attract investors and promote 'Brand Gujarat' would open on January 12. "Japan has for the first time become partner for the VGGIS-09," Modi said.

"Summit will become a true platform for industrialists of the country to come together in the backdrop of the global meltdown and discuss ways to take the country forward. The importance of summit has further increased, as it will provide stage to all to share experiences," Modi said.

Asked how he planned to make VGGIS-09 a success amidst the global meltdown, he said it was a coincidence that the summit came at a time of slowdown and added the meet would prove an important chapter in the development of the country.

The chief minister, who was hailed by the industry after coming of the Nano project to Gujarat, said it would be an injustice to the state to say that coming of Tata's small car project was the most important thing to happen to Gujarat.

However, Modi ruled out any out-of-way incentive to lure industries to set up their projects in Gujarat, and said, "My government is a policy-driven government and will not give incentives to industries outside those policies."

Top industrial magnets like Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, Sunil Bharti Mittal and Sashi Ruia have confirmed their participation in the summit.

By organising investors summit, Modi plans to create awareness about Brand Gujarat and sought clarify that no immediate investments are expected from the summit, as "this is an investors' summit and not an investment summit."

Modi maintained, "We started this new experiment with an aim to bring together top industrialists, those associated with the field of finance, with technology and marketing at one point.

"We also aimed at making them realise the true strengths of the state, and create an awareness about the state as a brand."

The 2007 summit had focused on the development of SEZs in the state, while this time the Gujarat Government wants to focus on small- and medium-scale industries, though "overall aim of the summit is to market Gujarat".     

"State based SMEs will get information about new technology, new management techniques and export possibilities. The world will also come to know about the strengths of our SME sector," Modi said.

Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) has decided to become partner of VGGIS. Around 40 per cent of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) funded by Japan passes through the state, which Modi looks upon as an opportunity to further boost industrialisation of the state.

Refraining from giving too much importance to the Nano project, Modi said, some other positive developments have also taken place. "Bombardier Inc set up their metro rail coach unit in Gujarat. In agriculture, state's income was Rs 9 crore earlier, which reached Rs 50 crore last year... This is also not a small achievement," he said.

"But, of course, the coming of Nano to Gujarat has added to state's image," he said.

Opposition had levelled charges that the Modi government had given huge incentives for relocation of Nano project to Gujarat. But he denied giving any special package to Tata except what can be availed as per the state policies.

"My government has not given any incentives for the project (Nano). We have given land to Tata at market price and if there will be delay in payment, interests will be charged on it," Modi said, and added, "Gujarat government does not give anything to industries outside its policies."

Modi and his administration has been widely campaigning globally to make Vibrant Gujarat Summit a success and to make Brand Gujarat a force to reckon with.

In the 2007 VGGIS, around 308 MoUs were signed, pledging investments worth Rs 4,61,835 crore in Gujarat by various industrial houses. Modi administration expects even more investments this time.

However, the chief minister said, "We had not kept any targets of investments in 2007. We have not kept any targets this time as well."