Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025 and Make in Odisha Exhibition in Bhubaneswar.
Describing Odisha as a significant component of India’s growth engine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this is the right time to make investment in the State.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said this was his second visit to Odisha in the month of January 2025, recalling his visit to inaugurate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2025 event. Noting that this was the biggest business Summit in Odisha till date, Modi said that there were around 5-6 times more investors participating in Make in Odisha Conclave 2025. He also congratulated the people and the Government of Odisha for organising the grand event.
“Eastern India is a growth engine in the development of the country and Odisha plays a key role in this”, exclaimed the Prime Minister. He added that historic data also reveals that the contributions of Eastern India were remarkable when India played a major role in global growth. Shri Modi noted that there were huge industrial hubs, ports, trade hubs in Eastern India and Odisha’s participation in this was remarkable. “Odisha used to be an important center in South Eastern Asian trade and the ports were a gateway to India”, said the Prime Minister.
He added that Bali Jatra is celebrated even today in Odisha. Recalling the recent visit of the President of Indonesia to India, the Prime Minister said that the President’s words that there were probably traces of Odisha in his DNA.
The Prime Minister remarked that Odisha celebrates a legacy which connects it with South East Asia. He added that Odisha had now begun to revive the glorious heritage in the 21st century.
He noted that the President of Singapore recently visited Odisha and Singapore was very enthusiastic about its relationship with Odisha.
He highlighted that ASEAN countries have also shown interest in strengthening trade and traditional connections with Odisha.
The Prime Minister emphasized that numerous opportunities were opening up in this region, more than ever before since independence. He called upon all the investors present, stating that now is the right time to invest in Odisha’s development journey and assured that their investment would lead to new heights of success.
“India is on a path of development driven by the aspirations of crores of people”, remarked Modi and emphasized that AI stands for both Artificial Intelligence and Aspiration of India, which is the country’s strength. He said that aspirations grow when people’s needs are met, and the past decade has empowered crores of citizens, benefiting the nation. The Prime Minister highlighted that Odisha represents this aspiration. He described Odisha as outstanding, symbolizing the optimism and originality of New India. He added that Odisha had numerous opportunities, and its people have always shown a passion for outperforming. Sharing his personal experience of witnessing the skills, hard work, and honesty of people from Odisha in Gujarat, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that with new opportunities emerging in Odisha, the State will soon reach unprecedented heights of development.
He praised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi and his team for their efforts in accelerating Odisha’s development. The Prime Minister noted that Odisha is becoming one of India’s leading states in various industries, including food processing, petrochemicals, port-led development, fisheries, IT, edutech, textiles, tourism, mining, and green energy.
Underscoring that India was rapidly progressing towards becoming the World’s third-largest economy, the Prime Minister said that the milestone of a five trillion-dollar economy was not far away.
He added that over the past decade, India’s strength in manufacturing had also become evident. The Prime Minister highlighted that the expansion of India’s economy rests on two major pillars: the innovative service sector and quality products.
He emphasized that the country’s rapid progress cannot rely solely on the export of raw materials and therefore, the entire ecosystem was being transformed with a new vision.
The Prime Minister mentioned that India was changing the trend of extracting minerals and sending them abroad for product manufacturing and value addition, only to have those products return to India. Similarly, he added that the trend of exporting seafood for processing in other countries was also being changed.
Modi stated that the Government was working to ensure that industries related to the resources in Odisha are established within the State. He highlighted that Utkarsh Odisha Conclave 2025 was a means to realize this vision.
Remarking that the world was increasingly focusing on sustainable lifestyles and moving towards a green future, Modi noted that the potential for green jobs is also growing significantly.
He emphasized the need to adapt to the demands and requirements of the times. He highlighted that India was focusing on green technology and a green future, including solar, wind, hydro, and green hydrogen, which will power the energy security of a developed India.
The Prime Minister mentioned that Odisha had immense potential in this regard and stated that the country had launched national-level Green Hydrogen and Solar Power Missions.
Modi noted that significant policy decisions were being made to promote renewable energy industries in Odisha, and several steps were being taken for hydrogen energy production.
Prime Minister remarked that alongside green energy, initiatives were being taken to expand the petro and petrochemical sector in Odisha.
He highlighted that dedicated industrial parks and investment regions were being developed in Paradip and Gopalpur, indicating significant investment potential in this sector. Shri Modi congratulated the Odisha government for making swift decisions and developing a new ecosystem, considering the potential of different regions in the state.
“21st century is an era of connected infrastructure and multi-modal connectivity for India”, said Modi and highlighted that the scale and speed at which specialized infrastructure was being developed in India was making the country an excellent investment destination.
He noted that dedicated freight corridors were connecting the east and west coastlines, providing faster access to the sea for previously land-locked regions.
He mentioned that dozens of industrial cities with plug-and-play facilities were being constructed across the country.
PM Modi emphasized that similar opportunities were being enhanced in Odisha and thousands of crores worth of projects related to railway and highway networks are underway in the state.
Support Independent Journalism? Keep us live.
He added that to reduce logistics costs for industries in Odisha, the Government was connecting ports with industrial clusters and mentioned that both the expansion of existing ports and the construction of new ports are taking place.
He stressed that Odisha was set to become one of the top states in the country in terms of the blue economy.
Urging everyone to recognize the challenges of the global supply chain in a rapidly changing world, the Prime Minister emphasized that India cannot rely on fragmented and import-based supply chains. Instead, a robust supply and value chain must be built within India to minimize the impact of global fluctuations, he added.
He highlighted that this responsibility lies with both the government and the industry. PM Modi called on industries to support MSMEs and young startups, stressing the importance of research and innovation for growth.
He added that the Government was creating a vibrant research ecosystem in the country, with a special fund and a package for internships and skill development.
He encouraged industries to actively participate and collaborate with the Government. Emphasising that a strong research ecosystem and a skilled young workforce will directly benefit the industry, Modi urged industry partners and the Odisha government to work together to build a modern ecosystem aligned with Odisha’s aspirations, providing new opportunities for the youth. This, he said, will create more job opportunities within Odisha, leading to prosperity, strength, and progress for the State.
The Prime Minister remarked that people around the world were eager to understand and learn about India. He highlighted that Odisha was an excellent destination to understand India, with its thousands of years of heritage and history.
He added that the state offers a unique blend of faith, spirituality, forests, mountains, and the sea, all in one place. PM Modi described Odisha as a model of development and heritage and mentioned that G-20 cultural events were held in Odisha, and the Konark Sun Temple’s wheel was made a part of the main event.
He emphasized the need to explore Odisha’s tourism potential, with its 500-kilometer coastline, over 33% forest cover, and endless possibilities for eco-tourism and adventure tourism. Prime Minister noted that India’s focus was on “Wed in India” and “Heal in India,” and Odisha’s natural beauty and environment were very supportive of these initiatives.
Highlighting that India had significant potential for conference tourism, the Prime Minister said that venues like Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi in Delhi were becoming major centers for this sector.
He also mentioned the emerging sector of the concert economy. He noted that India, with its rich heritage of music, dance, and storytelling, and a large pool of young concert-goers, has immense possibilities for the concert economy. He added that over the past decade, the trend and demand for live events have increased.
Pointing out the recent Coldplay concerts in Mumbai and Ahmedabad as evidence of the scope for live concerts in India, Modi emphasized that major global artists were attracted to India, and the concert economy boosts tourism and creates numerous jobs.
He urged states and the private sector to focus on the necessary infrastructure and skills for the concert economy. This includes event management, artist grooming, security, and other arrangements, where new opportunities are emerging.
PM Modi remarked that next month, India will host the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) for the first time.
He highlighted that this significant event will showcase India’s creative power to the world. He emphasized that such events generate revenue and shape perceptions, contributing to the economy’s growth. He noted that Odisha has immense potential for hosting such events.
Odisha plays a significant role in building a developed India, emphasized the Prime Minister. He highlighted that the people of Odisha have resolved to build a prosperous state, and the Union government was providing all possible support to achieve this goal.
He expressed his affection for Odisha, noting that he had visited the state nearly 30 times as Prime Minister and has been to most of its districts. He emphasized his trust in Odisha’s potential and its people. Concluding his address, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the investments made by all partners will elevate both their businesses and Odisha’s progress to new heights. He extended his best wishes to everyone involved.
While addressing at the Utkarsh Odisha Conclave Chief Minister Mohan Majhi said that Odisha is not only the land of opportunities but going to be the driving engine of the country, especially in Eastern India as part of Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Purvodaya’. The state has the potential right from a rich and wide variety of natural resources, impressive road, rail and port infrastructure, decent air connectivity including direct flights to important business destinations like Dubai, Singapore, skilled workforce, a peaceful social fabric, a stable and forward-looking government and above all industry-friendly policies.
“As a precursor to this event, I had visited country’s business hubs like Delhi and Mumbai as well as Singapore to explore opportunities. I can now see the result of that interactions and the confidence you have reposed to come and invest in Odisha. Just a week ago, we had the privilege to welcome the President of Singapore and signed eight transformative MoUs with the leading Singaporean entities”, the CM said.
The CM noted that under the visionary leadership and guidance of our Prime Minister, Odisha is ready to claim its rightful place under the sun. We realise that more than two dozen states in the country are vying to attract investment which is great for Indian economy. We are fully geared to walk an extra mile to make your lives a little easier with decisions like Single-Window Clearance, doing away with unnecessary and avoidable documentation. The government is ready to walk three steps, if you choose to walk half a step.
“There is also a strong focus on development of world class industrial infrastructure. We are setting up plug and play industrial parks including new FDI Park in the state along with sectoral parks for Technical Textiles, Food-Processing, Aluminium and MSME Parks across all the 30 districts. My government is ensuring that the benefit of industrialization also reaches the hinterlands through a strategic focus on geographical and sectoral diversification. Regions like Malkangiri, Rayagada, and Keonjhar, historically under-served, are now emerging as focal points for sectors such as food processing, textiles, and renewable energy. Every part of the state offers some kind of opportunities. We urge you all to take advantage of this unlimited opportunities on the offer”, Mohan Majhi added.
The CM furthe said that Odisha have a diversity portfolio. Along with mining and metallurgy sectors, we would like to have your interest and investment in the fields of chemicals and petrochemicals, green hydrogen, IT Services, textiles, pharmaceuticals and metal downstream industries, all aligned with global growth trends.
The Governor of Odisha, Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister of Odisha, Mohan Charan Manjhi, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw were present among other dignitaries at the event.
Background
Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025 is a flagship Global Investment Summit, being hosted by the Government of Odisha, which aims to position the state as the anchor of the Purvodaya vision as well as a leading investment destination and industrial hub in India.
Prime Minister also inaugurated the Make in Odisha Exhibition that highlights achievements of the state in developing a vibrant industrial ecosystem. The two day conclave will be held from 28th to 29th January. It will serve as a platform for industry leaders, investors, and policymakers to converge and discuss the opportunities Odisha offers as a preferred investment destination. The conclave will host CEOs and Leaders’ Roundtables, Sectoral Sessions, B2B meetings, and Policy Discussions, ensuring targeted engagement with investors across the globe.
Comments are closed.