Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, hosted the highly anticipated Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025, spotlighting the state as a global industrial hub and a premier investment destination.
Held on January 28 and 29, the event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and global investors to explore Odisha’s immense economic opportunities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the conclave at Janata Maidan, marking it as the largest business summit in Odisha’s history. He highlighted the extraordinary participation—five to six times more investors than previous editions.
This visit also marked the Prime Minister’s second trip to Odisha this month, following the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2025 celebrations.
In his address, the Prime Minister praised the Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Manjhi, for their efforts in organizing such a milestone event. He underscored the vital role of Eastern India, and Odisha in particular, as a driving force behind the nation’s economic growth.
“Eastern India is a growth engine for the nation, and Odisha plays a key role in this,” said the Prime Minister.
He emphasized the region’s historical legacy in trade and commerce, including its enduring ties with South-East Asia and ASEAN nations.
Key Highlights:
The conclave spotlighted Odisha’s prowess in industries like food processing, petrochemicals, tourism, IT, textiles, mining, and renewable energy. It also showcased the state’s move to reduce dependency on raw material exports by promoting local value addition and industrialization.
Notable efforts in renewable energy were highlighted, including Green Hydrogen and Solar Power Missions and new industrial parks in Paradip and Gopalpur.
Significant investments in Odisha’s railways, highways, and ports positioned the state as a leader in the blue economy.
Speaking on Odisha’s future, the Prime Minister stated, “Odisha plays a significant role in building a developed India,” and expressed optimism about the state’s progress with support from the Union government and its resilient people.
The event saw the participation of prominent dignitaries, including Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Manjhi, and Union Ministers Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw.
About Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025:
The two-day conclave featured 15 sectoral sessions—five on the first day and ten on the second. Key sessions focused on transformative agendas like ‘Skilling for Viksit Odisha 2036 and Bharat 2047’ and ‘Skilled in Odisha: Local to Global.’
Sectoral discussions emphasized sustainable industrial growth, while roundtable meetings explored topics like Startup Odisha, Skill in Odisha, and the Subhadra Yojana.
The conclave witnessed remarkable participation, with over 7,000 delegates, including envoys, investors, and industrialists from 12 countries, alongside 7,500 industry representatives registered through the official website.
Odisha’s Industries Department Principal Secretary, Hemant Sharma, revealed that invitations had been extended to 100 Fortune 400 companies, signaling the state’s global investment aspirations.
This year’s event focused on five priority sectors: IT, renewable energy, textiles, chemicals, and food processing. Twelve nations, including Australia, Japan, Germany, and Cuba, were invited as ‘Countries of Focus.’
