Gujarat Seeks World Bank Funding as Bhupendra Patel Pushes AI Expansion

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has sought concessional funding from the World Bank for development projects in the state while highlighting Gujarat's plans to expand the use of artificial intelligence across key sectors.

During a visit to Washington, Patel addressed a roundtable at the World Bank and said the Gujarat government was preparing for a faster rollout of AI in administration, education, healthcare and agriculture. He also invited the World Bank to explore opportunities to finance projects in Gujarat and establish a presence at GIFT City, the state's International Financial Services Centre.

Patel said Gujarat's approach to fiscal discipline could make the state a strong candidate for concessional financing. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with establishing financial discipline in Gujarat and urged World Bank officials to consider extending financing benefits to states that maintain fiscal responsibility.

"The Gujarat government has decided to embrace AI and we are looking forward to a faster rollout in sectors such as administration, education, healthcare and agriculture," Patel said during the interaction.

The roundtable was attended by senior representatives from the World Bank Group, International Finance Corporation, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and International Monetary Fund, along with Gujarat government officials and representatives of GIFT City.

During his visit, Patel also interacted with members of the Gujarati diaspora in the United States. Discussions focused on Gujarat's efforts to attract global partnerships, particularly in manufacturing and technology, while strengthening engagement with the Indian diaspora.

The Gujarat Chief Minister also visited the Art of Living centre in Washington, where he acknowledged the organisation's work in promoting India's traditions of yoga and meditation across the United States.

Patel's US visit began in San Francisco, where he met representatives of major technology companies, including Google, Micron and Perplexity AI. The meetings were part of Gujarat's broader outreach aimed at attracting technology partnerships and investment.

He is scheduled to continue his visit in New York, where he is expected to meet business leaders as part of the trip focused on technology, investment and international partnerships.