The Chief Minister's Office of Odisha announced on Saturday, 4 July 2026 that the state has signed letters of intent with Japan's IHI Corporation and India's ACME Group for three large-scale green energy projects worth approximately ₹67,000 crore, to be set up at Paradip and Gopalpur under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

The CMO described the development as 'yet another historic chapter' in Odisha's industrial and green economy journey. The post, addressed jointly to the Prime Minister's Office, signals the state government's intent to position the agreements within the national green hydrogen push.

Context

The three projects are focused on green hydrogen and green ammonia production — clean-fuel categories that require large coastal infrastructure for electrolysis, storage, and export. Paradip, a deep-water port in Jagatsinghpur district, and Gopalpur, a port town in Ganjam district, have both been earmarked by the state as anchor sites for export-oriented green fuel clusters. The CMO stated the projects are expected to generate approximately 7,600 direct employment opportunities.

Policy Backdrop

Odisha's Industrial Development Policy 2022 explicitly prioritised green hydrogen and ammonia clusters at port locations, offering land, infrastructure, and fiscal incentives to attract anchor investors. At the national level, India's National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023) set a target of 5 million tonnes of annual green hydrogen production capacity by 2030, with states assigned a facilitative role in attracting private capital and technology partners.

IHI Corporation is a major Japanese engineering conglomerate with established capabilities in hydrogen technologies and prior collaborations in India's energy sector. ACME Group is among India's leading renewable energy developers, with an active portfolio in solar power, green hydrogen, and ammonia projects. Japan's interest in overseas hydrogen supply chains makes IHI's participation strategically significant for both governments.

Stakeholders and Impact

The port-region workforce in Jagatsinghpur and Ganjam districts stands to benefit most directly from the promised 7,600 direct jobs, with additional indirect employment expected in construction, logistics, and ancillary services. Green hydrogen and ammonia exports could also generate long-term foreign exchange and position Odisha as a key node in Indo-Japanese clean energy supply chains.

For investors, the coastal locations reduce logistics costs for hydrogen export, while Odisha's 2022 policy framework provides regulatory clarity. Environmental and community stakeholders in both port towns will watch land acquisition processes and environmental clearance timelines closely.

What's Next

The immediate milestones include formal environmental clearances, land allocation, and first-phase construction schedules at both Paradip and Gopalpur. The state government may announce additional incentives under its 2022 industrial policy to accelerate project commissioning. Odisha's move adds to a growing pattern of coastal Indian states signing similar agreements with Japanese and other international firms, intensifying competition for green hydrogen investment and export infrastructure ahead of India's net-zero 2070 target.