GIFT City aims to attract additional banks and expand trade-finance activities to support India's export sectors over the next few years [1, 2].
This expansion is intended to transform the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City into a critical gateway for capital flows. By strengthening its trade-finance infrastructure, the hub seeks to reduce reliance on external financial centers and streamline the funding process for high-capital industries.
K. Rajaraman, Chairperson of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), said the center wants to be an enabler of financing for exports, ship building, and aircraft leasing over the next few years [1]. The strategic focus involves creating a regulatory environment that encourages global banks to establish a presence within the city [1, 2].
Located on the banks of the Sabarmati River between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, GIFT City is designed as a specialized zone for financial services [2]. The push for more banking institutions is expected to facilitate a wider range of credit instruments and trade services for Indian companies operating on a global scale.
According to statements made in May 2026, the IFSCA is prioritizing sectors that require heavy capital expenditure, such as ship-building and aircraft-leasing [1, 2]. These industries often require complex financing structures that the hub aims to provide through its specialized legal and financial framework.
By positioning itself as a hub for these specific activities, GIFT City intends to bridge the gap between international capital markets and Indian industrial needs [1, 2]. The initiative represents a broader effort to centralize financial services within Gujarat to drive national economic growth.
“The centre wants to be an enabler of financing for exports, ship building and aircraft leasing over the next few years.”
The push to attract more banks and specialize in trade finance suggests India is attempting to create a domestic equivalent to hubs like Dubai or Singapore. By focusing on aircraft leasing and ship-building, the IFSCA is targeting niche, high-value financial services that traditionally operate outside Indian borders, potentially increasing the country's control over its strategic capital flows.
