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Gujarat CM woos US firms with AI, GIFT City and nuclear manufacturing opportunities
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel met US executives to explore AI, GIFT City, financial services and nuclear manufacturing investments.
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IANS - Fri, 21, Aug 2026
- 10:30 EDT
- 85
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held separate meetings with senior executives in New York / Photo: IANS
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Aug.21 held separate meetings with senior executives from Kyndryl, BlackRock and Holtec International in New York, with discussions ranging from artificial intelligence and financial services to nuclear equipment manufacturing as part of the state’s outreach ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2027.
During the fifth day of his US visit, Patel met Xerxes Cooper, Global Head of Delivery at Kyndryl, one of the world’s largest IT infrastructure services providers. Cooper expressed interest in collaborating with the Gujarat government on artificial intelligence strategies, knowledge-sharing, skilling and mentorship programmes for startups and students, according to the state government.
Patel highlighted Gujarat’s growing focus on sectors including semiconductors, electronics, digital infrastructure, AI, data centres and advanced manufacturing. He also outlined the state’s wider industrial and economic profile and invited Kyndryl to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, scheduled for January 2027.
Also read: CM Patel pitches GIFT City, emerging sectors to Gujarati diaspora in Washington
The Chief Minister also met Samara Cohen, Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Development at BlackRock, the New York-headquartered global asset management and exchange-traded fund (ETF) company. The discussions focused on opportunities in asset management and ETFs in India and Gujarat, as well as the potential of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) to emerge as a global centre for asset management.
Patel highlighted GIFT City’s financial ecosystem and the presence of several US-headquartered fintech companies and banks operating there. He invited BlackRock to expand its services in GIFT City and participate in the forthcoming Vibrant Gujarat summit. BlackRock, established in 1998, operates in more than 100 countries.
During the meeting, Cohen briefed Patel on the company’s expertise in asset management, digital investment platforms, risk management and infrastructure investment.
In another meeting, Patel held discussions with the Chief Executive Officer of Holtec International, a South Jersey-based company established in 1986 that provides fuel storage solutions for nuclear power plants. Holtec has already established a precision fabrication facility in Gujarat to cater to demand for air-cooled condensers and expanded the facility in 2025.
The company has now expressed interest in establishing a manufacturing facility for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and a research and development centre in the state. Patel told Holtec that nuclear power equipment, including SMRs, has been identified as a thrust sector under Gujarat’s recently announced Industrial Policy-2026.
The discussions also covered the potential for Holtec’s partnership with Gujarat to strengthen the state’s nuclear technology and manufacturing ecosystem. The meetings form part of Patel’s ongoing US outreach ahead of the 2027 Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
The Chief Minister is leading a state delegation on an overseas tour aimed at engaging global companies and investors across emerging and strategic sectors. Gujarat has increasingly positioned sectors such as semiconductors, AI, data centres and advanced manufacturing as key areas for investment, while GIFT City has been developed as an international financial and fintech centre.
Chief Secretary M K Das and senior secretaries accompanying the Gujarat delegation were present during the meetings.
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