Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Innovation and Incubation Centre at the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad in the presence of senior central and state officials including the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The new centre is designed to connect creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship and to provide a platform for individuals with an inherent inclination towards design. It was established in Gujarat to enable the exploration of the commercial potential of design and to encourage acceptance of design as a career.

The institute will promote a culture of design across the country and aims to expand its reach to high-tech design sectors such as semiconductors and chip development. The minister indicated that while design remains both a discipline and an art form it must also be linked to professional opportunities so that young people can pursue it without hesitation. To address the gap between creativity and commercialisation a separate vertical will be created to connect designers with professionals who can help develop viable businesses.

Speakers outlined that design has relevance in every sector from large industrial parks to technical projects and that the existing traditions of craftsmanship provide a foundation for innovation. The institute was urged to create dedicated verticals on all campuses and to bring together experts in design and commercialisation so as to translate design quality and interest into career pathways. Such measures are expected to strengthen links between education, industry and entrepreneurship and to generate new vocational opportunities.

Reference was made to traditional arts such as Patan Patola to illustrate the precision, detailing and systematic approach inherent in Indian design traditions which can inform modern practice. The centre is intended to raise awareness of the utility of design, encourage more young people to make it a profession and provide incubation support to talent across disciplines. The initiative is presented as a step towards integrating design into daily life and national development.