Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday, 19 July 2026, announced that Odisha has been recognised by NITI Aayog as one of India's top five performing states in the inaugural Investment Friendliness Index 2026 — the first such ranking by the national policy think tank evaluating states on policy stability, transparency, and investor facilitation.

Context

Posting on X, CM Majhi called it 'a proud moment for every Odia,' saying the recognition 'reflects our unwavering commitment to transparent governance, policy stability, time-bound reforms and an investor-centric ecosystem.' He congratulated 'Team Odisha, our industry partners and every stakeholder whose dedication and collective efforts have made this achievement possible.' The ranking was released by NITI Aayog, the central government's apex policy think tank, as part of its growing portfolio of state-level performance indices.

The Investment Friendliness Index 2026 is the first edition of this particular ranking, distinct from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)'s long-running Business Reforms Action Plan, which has benchmarked states on ease-of-doing-business parameters since 2015. Odisha's placement among the top five signals that its reform trajectory has earned recognition at the national level on a new, independent metric.

Policy Backdrop

Odisha has steadily built its investment infrastructure over the past decade. The state organised the Make in Odisha Conclave in 2016 and again in 2022, drawing commitments across metals, petrochemicals, and downstream industries. A new Industrial Policy Resolution notified in 2022 extended targeted incentives to emerging sectors including green hydrogen, semiconductors, and electronics manufacturing.

These efforts sit within a broader national context: Indian states have intensified competition for private capital since the pandemic by upgrading single-window clearance systems and crafting sector-specific policy packages. NITI Aayog indices — spanning health, education, and now investment friendliness — have become consequential benchmarks, shaping both investor perception and, in some cases, central government fund allocations.

Stakeholders and Impact

Odisha's mineral-rich economy has long sought to move up the value chain, diversifying beyond raw resource extraction into manufacturing and services. A top-five ranking in a nationally credible index is likely to strengthen the state's pitch to domestic and foreign investors ahead of its next major investors' summit, expected in late 2026.

MSMEs, large industrial investors, and the Odisha workforce stand to benefit if the ranking translates into accelerated investment inflows and the quality employment opportunities CM Majhi has pledged. The Chief Minister specifically tied the achievement to the vision of a Samruddha Odisha (prosperous Odisha) and to the central government's Viksit Bharat 2047 goal of making India a developed nation by the centenary of its independence.

What's Next

NITI Aayog is expected to release the detailed methodology and full list of top-five states, which will allow investors and policymakers to assess the specific parameters on which Odisha excelled. Scrutiny of the index's scoring criteria will determine how durable and replicable the state's performance is across different sectors and districts.

For the Majhi government, the ranking arrives as political momentum ahead of the next round of investor outreach. CM Majhi has signalled the state will 'continue to improve ease of doing business, accelerate industrialisation' and pursue 'balanced, inclusive development across every region' — commitments that will be tested against on-the-ground outcomes in the months ahead.