AHMEDABAD: Gujarat has secured the top spot in NITI Aayog’s first-ever Investment Friendliness Index 2026, scoring 56.6 out of 100 among major states. This nationwide assessment of 17 states evaluates investment readiness across 84 indicators and eight critical pillars.
Gujarat outpaced Maharashtra (53.7) and Tamil Nadu (53.3), cementing its position as India’s premier industrial growth hub and a benchmark for ease of doing business.
A primary driver of Gujarat’s success is its stable policy framework and investor-centric governance. The Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb) offers an integrated single-window mechanism that streamlines regulatory processes and reduces bureaucratic delays from project conception to operation.
The report also highlights Gujarat's advanced "plug-and-play" industrial ecosystem. Major growth clusters like the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR), Sanand, and GIFT City offer fully integrated land, utilities, and logistics infrastructure, significantly lowering initial setup costs.
Additionally, the biennial Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit continues to play a pivotal role in drawing multi-sectoral domestic and international capital.
Gujarat holds nearly 10% of India’s state highway network, features a 635-kilometer expressway network, and provides reliable, uninterrupted power (averaging 23.8 hours daily) at tariffs 29% below the national average.
Contributing 31% of India’s merchandise exports, the state boasts a fiscal deficit of just 2.81% of GSDP and public liabilities 40% below the major-state average.
Combined with a growing innovation network of 614 Atal Tinkering Labs, Gujarat’s financial model builds strong, long-term global investor credibility.