Bhubaneswar. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, inaugurated the Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025 and the Make in Odisha Exhibition in Bhubaneswar on January 28.
The Prime Minister emphasised that Eastern India is a crucial driver of the country’s growth, with Odisha playing a central role in this progress. He highlighted historical data that underscores the significant contributions of Eastern India to global development. The Prime Minister pointed out that the region is home to extensive industrial hubs, ports, and trade centres, with Odisha being a key player in this landscape. “Odisha once served as a vital hub for Southeast Asian trade, and its ports were gateways to India,” Modi remarked. He also referenced the Bali Yatra, an ongoing celebration in Odisha that commemorates its maritime legacy.
Eastern India is a growth engine in the development of the country. Odisha plays a key role in this. pic.twitter.com/Wi8b4wQWhO
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2025
Recalling the recent visit of Indonesia’s President to India, the Prime Minister shared the President’s remark that traces of Odisha may be found in his own heritage. He highlighted that Odisha’s rich legacy connects it to Southeast Asia, with the state now revitalizing this historical link in the 21st century. Noting the recent visit of Singapore’s President, Modi added that Singapore was eager to deepen its relationship with Odisha. He also pointed out that ASEAN countries are increasingly interested in strengthening both trade and cultural ties with Odisha.
The Prime Minister stressed that unprecedented opportunities are now emerging in this region, more so than ever before since India gained independence. He urged investors to seize this moment, affirming that investing in Odisha’s development would bring their ventures to new heights of success.
Today, India is moving on a path of development driven by the aspirations of crores of people. pic.twitter.com/X7W0tjEeL1
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 28, 2025
Modi emphasied that India is on a rapid development path driven by the aspirations of millions of people. He pointed out that “AI” represents both Artificial Intelligence and the Aspiration of India, which he described as the country’s core strength. He noted that aspirations flourish when people’s needs are met, and over the past decade, the empowerment of millions has contributed to the nation’s growth. The Prime Minister highlighted that Odisha is a symbol of this aspiration, describing the state as exceptional and embodying the optimism and originality of New India. He added that Odisha is full of opportunities, with its people known for their passion and drive to excel. Sharing a personal experience of witnessing the dedication, skills, and integrity of Odisha’s people in Gujarat, Modi expressed confidence that with the emerging opportunities, the state would soon achieve unprecedented levels of development. He praised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi and his team for their efforts in accelerating Odisha’s progress.
The Prime Minister further emphasized that Odisha is rapidly becoming a leader in various industries such as food processing, petrochemicals, port-led development, fisheries, IT, edutech, textiles, tourism, mining, and green energy.
Highlighting India’s progress toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy, the Prime Minister noted that the milestone of a five trillion-dollar economy is within reach. He pointed out that over the past decade, India’s strength in manufacturing has become increasingly evident. He identified two key pillars driving India’s economic expansion: the innovative service sector and high-quality products. Modi stressed that India’s growth cannot be based solely on exporting raw materials. To that end, the entire ecosystem is being reshaped with a new vision. He mentioned that India is changing the trend of extracting minerals, sending them abroad for manufacturing, and then importing finished products. Similarly, the Prime Minister noted that the practice of exporting seafood for processing in other countries is also being redefined.
PM Modi stated that the government is actively working to ensure that industries based on Odisha’s resources are established within the state. He emphasised that the Utkarsh Odisha Conclave 2025 is a crucial step in realizing this vision, helping to transform the state’s industrial landscape.
Modi highlighted the growing global focus on sustainable living and the shift toward a greener future, noting that this transition is creating significant opportunities for green jobs. He emphasized the need for India to adapt to these evolving demands, particularly in the realm of green technologies. The Prime Minister pointed out that India is prioritising renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and green hydrogen to secure the country’s energy future. He acknowledged that Odisha holds immense potential in this area, particularly with the nation’s Green Hydrogen and Solar Power Missions. Modi also mentioned that key policy decisions are being implemented to promote renewable energy industries in Odisha, alongside steps to boost hydrogen energy production.
In addition to green energy, the Prime Minister noted that Odisha is making strides in expanding its petrochemical sector. He highlighted the development of dedicated industrial parks and investment zones in Paradip and Gopalpur, which offer significant investment opportunities in this field. Modi praised the Odisha government for making timely decisions and creating a new ecosystem that capitalizes on the unique potential of various regions within the state.
PM Modi also spoke about India’s evolving infrastructure landscape, emphasizing that the 21st century is an era of connected, multi-modal infrastructure. He praised the rapid development of specialized infrastructure in India, which is positioning the country as an attractive investment destination. He pointed out that dedicated freight corridors are linking the east and west coasts, providing faster access to the sea for previously landlocked regions. Additionally, he mentioned the construction of numerous industrial cities with plug-and-play facilities across the country.
The Prime Minister noted that Odisha is similarly benefiting from these developments, with thousands of crores worth of railway and highway projects underway. To reduce logistics costs for industries in Odisha, the government is connecting ports with industrial clusters and expanding existing ports while also building new ones. Modi emphasised that Odisha is poised to become one of the leading states in India in terms of the blue economy, thanks to its strategic investments and infrastructure growth.
The Prime Minister urged everyone to acknowledge the challenges posed by global supply chains in today’s rapidly changing world. He stressed that India cannot rely on fragmented, import-based supply chains but must build a strong domestic supply and value chain to shield itself from global fluctuations. This, he noted, is a shared responsibility between the government and industry. Modi called on industries to support MSMEs and young startups, emphasizing the crucial role of research and innovation in driving growth. He mentioned that the government is fostering a vibrant research ecosystem with dedicated funds, internships, and skill development programs. He encouraged industries to actively collaborate with the government in these efforts, stating that a robust research ecosystem and a skilled young workforce would directly benefit industry growth.
Modi urged industry leaders and the Odisha government to work together to create a modern, dynamic ecosystem that aligns with the aspirations of the state, opening up new opportunities for the youth. This collaboration, he said, would lead to more job opportunities, contributing to the prosperity, strength, and progress of Odisha.
The Prime Minister also pointed out the global interest in understanding India and highlighted Odisha as an ideal destination to explore the country’s rich heritage and history. With thousands of years of cultural significance, Odisha offers a unique combination of faith, spirituality, forests, mountains, and the sea all in one place. Modi described Odisha as a model of both development and heritage, mentioning that the state hosted G-20 cultural events, with the Konark Sun Temple’s wheel featured in the main event. He emphasized the importance of tapping into Odisha’s tourism potential, particularly its 500-kilometer coastline, more than 33% forest cover, and vast opportunities for eco-tourism and adventure tourism.
The Prime Minister noted that India’s initiatives such as “Wed in India” and “Heal in India” align perfectly with Odisha’s natural beauty and environmental assets, making the state an ideal place to promote these national programs.
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.
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 emphasised 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.
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.
