BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi returned to the State on Sunday after concluding his five-day visit to the United Arab Emirates, announcing that the State had secured investment proposals worth Rs 2.43 lakh crore during the outreach, with the potential to generate nearly 8.96 lakh employment opportunities, including jobs expected during the construction phase of the proposed projects.
Addressing the media at Bhubaneswar airport after his return, Majhi said the State government was making full use of Odisha’s potential and resources to create a brighter future for its youth. He said providing respectable employment opportunities within Odisha to young people after completion of their education remained one of the government’s foremost priorities.
“With this objective, we have expanded our industrialisation drive right from the beginning,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the UAE visit had opened another significant chapter in the State government’s industrialisation efforts over the past two years.
The latest investment proposals have taken Odisha’s overall investment proposal pipeline to approximately Rs 22.5 lakh crore, with the government now shifting its focus towards converting investment commitments and memoranda into projects on the ground and ensuring that production begins at the earliest.
52 Business Meetings Held During UAE Outreach
The Chief Minister’s UAE visit was undertaken from September 8 to 12, with extensive investor interactions held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on September 9, 10 and 11. Majhi, Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain and senior government officials participated in a series of meetings with investors, business leaders, institutional partners and representatives of the UAE business community.
The delegation held a total of 52 business meetings, comprising 46 one-to-one meetings and six roundtable discussions. Around 400 industry leaders, investors and business representatives participated in the wider investment outreach, while 160 participants attended the roundtable meetings.
Odisha’s three-day UAE Investment Outreach has added fresh momentum to the State’s growth journey, with ₹2.43 lakh crore+ in proposed investments and employment potential of 8.95 lakh+. The response from global businesses and strategic partners reflects the growing strength of… pic.twitter.com/8IpwmiraU2
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) September 11, 2026
As part of the campaign, eight Memoranda of Understanding were signed and 16 investment intents were received. Together, these proposals represent a potential investment of ₹2,43,162 crore and are expected to create 6,18,725 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
In addition, the proposed projects are expected to generate around 2,77,000 employment opportunities during the construction phase over a period of five years. Taking into account direct and indirect employment as well as construction-phase jobs, the overall employment generation potential from the UAE outreach has been estimated at 8,95,725.
The State government has described the outcome as an important step in its continuing effort to attract capital, technology, manufacturing capabilities and global business partnerships to Odisha.
Investment Outreach Expanded After Utkarsh Odisha
Majhi said the UAE campaign was part of a sustained investment outreach undertaken by the State government following the ‘Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave’ held in Bhubaneswar in January 2025.
Since then, dedicated teams of the Odisha government have undertaken investment promotion programmes in major business destinations including New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gujarat and Singapore, besides other domestic and international locations.
The Chief Minister said these sustained efforts were accelerating economic growth, creating large-scale employment opportunities and contributing to important milestones towards building a prosperous Odisha.
The government is positioning the State as a competitive investment destination by highlighting its natural resources, reliable and competitive power availability, strategic ports, industrial infrastructure, skilled workforce and expanding industrial ecosystem.
Major Engagements with UAE Business Leaders
During the UAE visit, Majhi held important discussions with UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the International Investors Council Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, as well as IHC Managing Director Syed Basar Shuaib.
A major focus of the discussions was the strategic partnership involving International Holding Company (IHC) and the Adani Group. Following the partnership signed on July 2, 2026, proposals have been advanced for 14 projects in Odisha covering a range of sectors.
The proposed areas include critical minerals and rare earths, metals and metallurgy, chemicals and petrochemicals, renewable energy equipment, healthcare, industrial infrastructure, tourism, skill development and other strategic sectors.
The two companies are also working towards the establishment of integrated aluminium projects in Rayagada and Sundargarh districts, further strengthening Odisha’s prospects in mineral-based value addition and downstream industrial development.
The State government has stressed that the objective is not merely to attract investments in traditional mining and mineral extraction but to develop a broader industrial ecosystem based on processing, manufacturing, technology, value addition and global supply-chain integration.
Dubai Investors’ Meet Highlights New-Age Sectors
The concluding phase of the UAE outreach in Dubai featured the ‘Odisha Investors’ Meet – UAE 2026’, which brought together around 400 investors, business leaders and members of the UAE business community.
The event provided Odisha with an international platform to present investment opportunities across both established industries and emerging sectors.
UAE outreach marks another strong step towards building a globally connected and investment-ready Odisha. With ₹8,417 crore investment potential, including 05 MoUs and 08 investment intents, the engagement is set to create 14,310 employment opportunities across sectors including… pic.twitter.com/Raq5OrSLCh
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) September 11, 2026
Investment discussions covered tourism, logistics, financial investments, LNG storage, green energy, artificial intelligence and data centres, rare earths, ship repair, propellant manufacturing, fertilisers and chemicals, residential housing, steel and downstream industries.
Food processing also emerged as a major area of opportunity, reflecting the State government’s emphasis on moving beyond traditional mining and mineral-based industries towards sectors with greater employment and value-addition potential.
Among the MoUs signed during the outreach, CAZBAA Project Ventures FZCO entered into an agreement relating to LNG storage, while Rana Holdings Limited signed an MoU covering green energy, AI data centres and rare earths.
Sharaf Group signed an MoU in the residential housing sector, while PTCL Infrastructure entered into an agreement relating to steel and steel downstream industries.
Investment proposals were also received from Dalwin Marine and Turbo Power Engineering for ship repair, Ion Technologies Private Limited for a propellant manufacturing plant, and Agrifields FZCO for fertiliser and chemical projects.
The Chief Minister held one-to-one discussions with leading investors and business representatives to explore opportunities relating to manufacturing infrastructure, technology partnerships, value addition and long-term industrial investments in Odisha.
Focus on Technology, Manufacturing and Value Addition
Majhi said Odisha was ready to enter a new phase of industrial growth driven by value addition, technology, global partnerships and efficient implementation.
He highlighted the State’s natural resources, competitive power availability, strategic ports, industrial infrastructure, skilled workforce and established industrial ecosystem as key advantages for investors.
The Chief Minister said Odisha’s partnership with the UAE was not limited to individual investment projects but was aimed at developing long-term cooperation in manufacturing, trade, technology, exports, innovation, skill development and entrepreneurship.
Engaged with Dubai-based business leaders and the Indian business community as the Government of Odisha signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC).
The MoC with IBPC will further strengthen partnerships and market linkages,… pic.twitter.com/RmtP570mww
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) September 11, 2026
He invited UAE-based businesses to make Odisha a preferred destination for their next phase of growth in India.
Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain reiterated the State government’s commitment to “speed, certainty and execution”. He said the government would provide active facilitation and institutional support throughout the project cycle, beginning with investment proposals and approvals and extending to implementation, production and expansion.
The government’s immediate priority is now to translate the investment intents and MoUs into concrete projects, expedite approvals and facilitate early commencement of construction and production.
CM Visits Emirates Global Aluminium
During the second day of his UAE visit, the Chief Minister visited Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), one of the UAE’s major industrial companies.
The visit provided an opportunity to understand advanced aluminium manufacturing, technology and value-addition practices and explore areas of potential cooperation relevant to Odisha’s downstream industrial ecosystem.
UAE-based investors and business representatives also expressed interest in exploring opportunities in Odisha across information technology and IT-enabled services, infrastructure, agriculture, food processing, steel and downstream industries, as well as critical and rare minerals.
The discussions were aimed at strengthening industrial cooperation between Odisha and the UAE and exploring opportunities for technology transfer, manufacturing partnerships and value addition.
IBPG Roundtable Focuses on Trade and Export Opportunities
As part of the Odisha Investors’ Meet, Majhi also participated in a roundtable discussion with the Indian Business and Professional Group (IBPG).
The discussions focused on strengthening trade, exports and business cooperation between Odisha and the UAE. Particular attention was given to opportunities in turmeric, ginger, seafood and food processing.
The possibility of contract manufacturing for leading UAE brands was also discussed, along with opportunities for skilled human resources and greater participation of Odisha-based enterprises in UAE-linked supply chains.
The engagement was intended to create stronger commercial linkages between Odisha producers and the UAE market while opening opportunities for local enterprises to expand their international footprint.
ODOP Gallery Showcases Odisha’s Cultural and Economic Identity
The UAE outreach also included a cultural and entrepreneurial dimension with the inauguration of a ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) gallery in Dubai.
The initiative seeks to take Odisha’s traditional handloom and handicraft products to international markets and provide greater visibility and market access to artisans, weavers and producers across the State.
The gallery showcased Sambalpuri sarees, Maniabandha handloom and silver filigree from Cuttack, Dongria shawls from Rayagada, terracotta products from Keonjhar, black granite sculptures from Balasore, and Pattachitra and palm-leaf engravings from Puri.
The showcase highlighted the diversity of Odisha’s district-specific products and their potential to find wider markets through international trade and tourism networks.
CM Interacts with More Than 800 Odias in Dubai
The Chief Minister also interacted with more than 800 members of the Odia diaspora in Dubai.
The gathering showcased Odisha’s cultural heritage through Odissi and traditional folk performances. Traditional Odia cuisine added to the festive atmosphere and strengthened the sense of cultural connection among members of the community.
Majhi appreciated the strong cultural bonds maintained by Odias living in the UAE and praised their efforts to preserve and promote the Odia language, traditions and cultural heritage abroad.
He said the diaspora could play an important role in strengthening Odisha’s global identity as well as contributing to investment, entrepreneurship, trade and development initiatives in the State.
The interaction also strengthened the social and cultural dimensions of the growing Odisha-UAE relationship.
High-Level Institutional and Diplomatic Participation
The three-day investment campaign brought together senior representatives from the Odisha government, Indian diplomatic missions, UAE institutions and the business community.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary of Industries, Home, Information and Public Relations Hemant Sharma, Indian Ambassador to the UAE Dr Deepak Mittal, Consul General of India in Dubai Dr E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, senior Odisha government officials and representatives of IPICOL participated in various programmes.
The involvement of government, institutional and diplomatic representatives was aimed at creating a coordinated platform for investors and ensuring that investment proposals receive appropriate facilitation.
From Investment Proposals to Ground-Level Projects
The Chief Minister said the government’s next priority would be the speedy implementation of investment proposals and MoUs secured through the UAE outreach and other investment promotion programmes.
He said the objective was to facilitate early commencement of production so that the proposed projects could generate substantial employment opportunities for the people of Odisha.
“Once these projects become operational, they will create significant employment opportunities for the people of Odisha,” Majhi said.
The Chief Minister also linked the investment drive with the State government’s broader vision of building a prosperous Odisha by 2036 and transforming the State into a USD 500 billion economy within the next decade.
He said employment opportunities for educated youth remained a key priority and that skill development programmes were being undertaken to make young people employment-ready for factories, offices and other establishments expected to come up in the State.
The government is now expected to focus on converting investor interest into actual projects, with emphasis on speed of implementation, value creation, employment generation and stronger domestic and global linkages.
