Economy of Ahmedabad district depends mainly on the industrial sectors such as chemicals, textiles, drugs and pharmaceuticals and agro and food processing industries. Textile and Chemicals have been the major areas of investment and employment in the district, since 1980. Ahmedabad district accounts for about 21.5 percent of factories and employs 18percent of workers in the state. Over 14 percent of the total investments in all stock exchanges in India and 60 percent of the total industrial productivity is contributed by the district. Several business conglomerates such as Adani Group, Reliance Industries, Nirma Group of Industries, Cadilla Pharmaceuticals, Shell, Vadilal Industries Ltd., Rasna, Arvind Mills, Claris Life Sciences, Stork and Rollepaal (Netherland) are present in the district.

Presence of Ahmedabad Textile Industry`s Research Association (ATIRA), the largest association for textile research and allied industries in India, has facilitated the district in becoming a flourishing textile centre. Most of the medium and large scale industries are concentrated in talukas such as Ahmedabad city, Viramgam, Sanand, Daskroi and Dholka. Major crops being produced in the district are cucurbits, cabbage, cumin, citrus and cotton. There are around four hundred and twenty two medium and large scale industries based in Ahmedabad district providing employment to more than 79,904 people.

The district has more than 23,734 small scale industries generating over 95,591 jobs. Engineering, textiles, chemical, and paper and paper products are the major small scale industry sectors present in the district. An increase in the investments in sectors such as textiles, chemicals and agro and food processing over the last twenty years has made Ahmedabad has emerged as a thriving industrial centre in the State. Due to different well-known educational institutes such as Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Center for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) and Mudra Institute of Communication (MICA), there is a presence of a large competent pool of manpower for various industries.

The proposed Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), Dholera (Special Investment Region) and Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT) are anticipated to fuel the industrial expansion of Ahmedabad district. A recently emerged corridor between Ahmedabad and Pune which connects the district to other metropolitan cities including Vadodara, Surat and Mumbai has led to the axial growth of the region.