Prime Minister inaugurates and lays foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 35,000 crore; highlights AI, skills, and Vadodara’s evolution as an industrial hub

Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], September 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called upon India’s youth to prepare themselves for the rapidly emerging opportunities in Artificial Intelligence (AI), while highlighting the importance of skills, innovation and technology in building a developed India.

Addressing the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ programme at the Pavilion Ground of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Prime Minister Modi said the coming generation must be prepared for AI and develop skills that can be continuously upgraded as technology and global requirements evolve. He emphasised that AI would not remain limited to the technology sector, but would create opportunities across agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing and robotics.

The Prime Minister’s interaction with the youth came alongside a major development push for Gujarat, with him inaugurating, dedicating and laying the foundation stones for projects worth more than ₹35,000 crore in Vadodara. The projects span railways, roads and other infrastructure, strengthening connectivity and logistics in the region.

A major highlight of the visit was the completion of the 2,800-km Dedicated Freight Corridor, which Prime Minister Modi described as a historic achievement for 21st-century India and a major milestone for Gati Shakti and the country’s logistics transformation.

During his address, the Prime Minister also traced Vadodara’s journey from an education and industrial centre to an important hub for modern manufacturing and emerging technologies. He highlighted the city’s evolution across textiles, tiles, oil and petrochemicals and its growth as a major MSME hub. He also referred to the city’s role in India’s aerospace manufacturing journey, including the C-295 aircraft programme.

Linking Vadodara’s industrial journey with the opportunities ahead, Prime Minister Modi said the convergence of education, skills and industry would be crucial for India’s next phase of development. He urged young people to make the most of the current period, describing it as an important phase for India’s youth and calling upon them to contribute towards the goal of a developed India by 2047.

The event also saw a strong response from the young audience, with around 6,000 students, young professionals, social media influencers and other participants attending the youth-focused programme at MSU’s Pavilion Ground.

The Prime Minister’s Vadodara visit thus combined a major infrastructure milestone with a strong focus on the country’s next generation, placing AI, skills, education, industry and youth participation at the centre of the Viksit Bharat agenda.

For Vadodara, the event also underlined the city’s growing role in connecting its traditional strengths in education and industry with emerging opportunities in technology, advanced manufacturing and the new-age economy.

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