Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday, 13 September 2026, called the state's three-day investment outreach in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — held from 9 to 11 September — one of the biggest milestones in the state's march towards a 'Samruddha Odisha' (Prosperous Odisha). The visit, which spanned 8 to 12 September, generated investment proposals worth ₹2,43,162 crore and is projected to create over 9 lakh total employment opportunities, including direct and indirect jobs.

Scale of the UAE Outreach

During the five-day visit, Chief Minister Majhi was accompanied by Industry Minister Sampad Chandra Swain and senior government officials. Substantive investment discussions took place across Abu Dhabi and Dubai on 9, 10, and 11 September. The delegation engaged with approximately 400 industrial leaders and representatives through 52 business meetings — comprising six roundtable sessions and 46 one-to-one meetings.

The outreach also extended beyond the UAE, with discussions held with representatives from Oman and Jordan during the same initiative.

MoUs Signed and Investment Intents Generated

The visit resulted in eight Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) being signed and 16 Investment Intents being generated. Chief Minister Majhi stated that the initiative is expected to create 6,18,725 direct employment opportunities. 'Including indirect jobs, around nine lakh total employment opportunities will be generated,' he said.

Cumulative Investment Tally Crosses ₹22.5 Lakh Crore

The UAE haul adds significantly to Odisha's existing investment pipeline. According to Majhi, the state had previously secured proposals worth more than ₹20 lakh crore. With the fresh UAE additions, the cumulative total has now crossed ₹22.5 lakh crore. The Chief Minister said the government's broader vision is to transform Odisha into a 500-billion-dollar economy within the next ten years and to realise the 'Samruddha Odisha' goal by 2036.

Context: A Series of Investment Roadshows

The UAE outreach is part of a sustained mobilisation drive that followed the 'Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave' held in Bhubaneswar in January 2025. Since then, the state government has conducted investment outreach programmes in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gujarat, and Singapore. Majhi credited what he described as a 'double-engine government' — referring to aligned state and central leadership — for consistently prioritising industrialisation and employment generation.

What Comes Next

Chief Minister Majhi indicated that the immediate priority will shift from attracting proposals to implementation. 'Our next target is to implement the investment proposals and MoUs quickly and commence production,' he said. Upon his return, Majhi was accorded a reception by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers at Bhubaneswar Airport. The state will now focus on converting announced intents into on-ground investment — historically the more challenging phase of any investment-attraction exercise.