Odisha CM Majhi to lead UAE investment roadshow from September 8
Synopsis
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi heads to the UAE from 8 September for the state's second international investor push — backed by ₹21 lakh crore in proposals and ₹3.5 lakh crore already grounded. The visit signals that Odisha's investor diplomacy is moving from domestic roadshows to a sustained global circuit.
Key Takeaways
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi departs for the UAE on 8 September for a three-day investment outreach.
The visit is Odisha's second international investor engagement drive, covering government-to-business and business-to-business meetings.
Odisha has reportedly attracted investment proposals worth ₹21 lakh crore over the past two years.
Industrial projects worth ₹3.5 lakh crore have already been inaugurated or grounded, generating employment and reverse migration.
Key sectors pitched include manufacturing, metals, energy, petrochemicals, aluminium, logistics, and food processing.
The visit also targets engagement with the Odia diaspora and Indian business community in the UAE.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will travel to the United Arab Emirates from 8 September for a three-day investment outreach visit — the state's second international investor engagement drive — aimed at deepening global business partnerships and accelerating industrial expansion across the state.
What the UAE Visit Covers
The outreach is structured around government-to-business and business-to-business meetings, with presentations on Odisha's economic and industrial potential to leading investors, institutions, and members of the Indian business community in the region. The visit will also focus on strengthening ties with the Odia diaspora in the UAE.
Sectors being highlighted include manufacturing, metals and downstream industries, energy, petrochemicals, aluminium, logistics, food processing, and emerging industries — areas where Odisha has positioned itself as a competitive destination on the back of its natural resources, skilled workforce, and expanding infrastructure.
What the Government Said
Hemant Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary for the Industries, Home, and I&PR Departments, said the UAE presented meaningful opportunities for deeper investor engagement. 'Odisha today presents a strong combination of resources, infrastructure, policy support, connectivity and a rapidly expanding industrial ecosystem. Our objective is to build partnerships that translate into investments, industrial growth and employment opportunities in Odisha,' Sharma said.
Investment Momentum So Far
According to official sources, Odisha has reportedly attracted investment proposals worth around ₹21 lakh crore over the past two years. Of these, industrial projects worth ₹3.5 lakh crore have already been inaugurated or grounded, generating employment and encouraging reverse migration to the state.
This comes amid a broader state strategy to attract quality investments, accelerate industrialisation, and create sustainable employment — particularly for Odisha's youth and skilled workforce.
Strategic Context
The UAE roadshow is the second in a series of international outreach efforts by the Majhi government, reflecting a pattern of aggressive investor diplomacy that has gained pace since the new administration took office. Odisha's pitch leans on its coastal connectivity, mineral wealth, and a policy environment that officials describe as investor-friendly. Notably, the state has positioned itself as a rival to traditionally dominant manufacturing hubs, with the grounding of large-scale projects in metals and energy sectors lending credibility to its investment narrative.
The outcomes of the UAE visit, including any signed memoranda of understanding or investment commitments, are expected to be announced after Chief Minister Majhi's return.
Point of View
But the more telling number is the ₹3.5 lakh crore actually grounded: a conversion rate that, if sustained, would mark a genuine departure from the gap between MoU signings and on-ground reality that has plagued Indian state investment summits for decades. The UAE focus is strategically sound — Gulf-based Indian capital, particularly in metals and energy, is actively seeking emerging-market anchors. Whether Majhi can convert diaspora goodwill into committed capital will be the real measure of this trip.
NationPress
3 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi visiting the UAE?
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is visiting the UAE from 8 September for a three-day investment outreach — the state's second international investor engagement — to attract global capital across sectors such as manufacturing, energy, metals, and logistics. The visit includes government-to-business meetings, investor presentations, and engagement with the Odia diaspora.
How much investment has Odisha attracted in the past two years?
According to official sources, Odisha has reportedly attracted investment proposals worth around ₹21 lakh crore over the past two years. Of these, projects worth ₹3.5 lakh crore have already been inaugurated or grounded on the ground.
Which sectors is Odisha promoting to UAE investors?
Odisha is pitching investment opportunities in manufacturing, metals and downstream industries, energy, petrochemicals, aluminium, logistics, food processing, and emerging sectors, leveraging the state's natural resources, infrastructure, and skilled workforce.
Who is accompanying or coordinating the UAE outreach?
Hemant Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary for the Industries, Home, and I&PR Departments, is a key official coordinating the outreach. He has stated that the objective is to build partnerships that translate into tangible investments and employment in Odisha.
What is the broader goal of Odisha's international investment outreach?
The outreach is part of Odisha's strategy to attract quality investments, accelerate industrialisation, and create sustainable employment — particularly for the state's youth and skilled workforce — while establishing Odisha as a leading destination for global industrial capital.
