Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, a union territory (UT) of India, is located in the western region. The UT shares borders with the Arabian Sea, Maharashtra and Gujarat. In January 2020, the government merged the two union territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu into one. The coastline in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu is 27 kms long and the UT has landing centres.

The UT has a strong presence in the textile, plastic and marine product sectors. It is a leader in plasticisers and contributes to 28% of India’s plastic production in the form of aerospace, households, medical, greenhouses, defence and non-conventional energy. The Industrial Policy 2015 further aims to promote durable and quality products that can be recycled in the future.

Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu lead in integrated textile plants and polyester hubs and account for 80% of India’s texturising yarn production. In FY23, manmade yarn, fabrics, and made-ups worth US$ 602 million were exported from the union territory. In FY22, the UT exported manmade yarn, fabrics and madeups worth US$ 680 million.

As of 2021-22, about 1,446 trawlers were engaged in fishing in the union territory. The marine catch comprises oil sardines, shrimps, Indian mackerel, Bombay duck, croakers, cephalopods, other sardines and threadfin breams. As there is a large scope of investment in packaging, processing, preservation and export of coastal fish in the union territory, the local administration is expected to provide better infrastructure facilities such as a fishery harbour, preservation and processing infrastructure, and cold chain with insulation transport facilities.

Following are some of the major initiatives to promote Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu as an investment destination:

• In the Union Budget 2023-24:
  • Rs. 132.09 crore (US$ 16.1 million) was allocated for various schemes in the education sector.
  • Rs. 207.38 crore (US$ 25.3 million) was allocated to carry out various schemes in the medical and health sector.
  • Rs. 360.58 crore (US$ 44 million) was allocated for various schemes related to roads and bridges.
• Total merchandise exports from the UT stood at US$ 4.56 billion in FY22 and US$ 4.55 billion in FY23.
• Of the total installed capacity in FY23, 512.72 MW was managed by central utilities, and 246.47 by private companies. Thermal power plants accounted for a significant share in the total installed capacity with 696.72 MW, whereas nuclear energy and renewable energy contributed 16 MW and 46.47 MW, respectively. As per the Union Budget 2023-24, the Ministry of Home Affairs allocated Rs. 48.54 crore (US$ 5.9 million) for the transmission and distribution of power.
• On April 17, 2023, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of the NAMO Medical Education and Research Institute, the only medical college in the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The institute, which had been operating from a leased building, is shifted to its own campus spread across 35 acres in Silvassa. The foundation stone of the medical college was laid in 2019.
• As of December 2022, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu had 0.92 million telephone subscribers.
• In August 2021, ReNew Power signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) for a round-the-clock (RTC) electricity supply of 400 MW in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and New Delhi.
• In July 2021, Torrent Power announced the acquisition of 51% of power distribution companies in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu to cater to the rising demand for power in the union territory and strengthen its position as one of the leading power distribution companies in the country.
• In June 2021, the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) inaugurated two new retail outlets in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu to promote tribal products in the union territory.
• The Industrial Policy 2018 (announced by the Union Territory Administration) provides a strong impetus for industrial growth and employment generation.
• The proposed eight-lane Baroda-Mumbai expressway will pass through the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, thereby opening up the UT to investments.
• In December 2020, Hindalco Industries announced plans to set up a 34,000-tonne aluminium extrusion plant worth Rs. 730 crore (US$ 99.28 million) at Silvassa.