Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have emerged as a significant policy instrument for promoting export-led industrialization, attracting investment, generating employment, and strengthening regional development in India. Introduced as a formal policy framework under the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005, SEZs were designed to create internationally competitive enclaves supported by improved infrastructure, simplified regulatory systems, and fiscal incentives. In the Indian context, the policy has aimed not only at export promotion but also at stimulating broader regional economic growth through industrial clustering, infrastructure expansion, technology transfer, and the creation of forward and backward linkages with local economies. This paper examines the role of SEZs in accelerating regional economic growth by analyzing their contribution to employment generation, investment inflows, export performance, and spatial economic transformation. It also evaluates the uneven regional outcomes of SEZ development, noting that while some regions have benefited from enhanced industrialization and connectivity, others have experienced limited spillover effects due to issues such as uneven state capacity, land acquisition concerns, infrastructure gaps, and non-operational or underutilized zones. Recent official updates continue to show a large network of notified and operational SEZs in India, reinforcing their policy relevance while also highlighting the need for reforms focused on inclusiveness, balanced regional dispersal, and long-term sustainability. The study argues that SEZs can serve as catalysts of regional economic growth when supported by effective governance, local integration, and complementary state-level development strategies. It concludes that the future success of SEZ-led growth in India depends on shifting from a narrow export-centric approach to a more regionally embedded and development-oriented model.