Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is seeking UAE investment across manufacturing, energy, logistics, and technology to drive the state’s long-term growth.
Odisha is stepping up efforts to attract investment from the UAE as the eastern Indian state targets a $500 billion economy by 2036 and aims to reach $1.5 trillion by 2047.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who is leading a government delegation on a three-day UAE visit, told Gulf News that the state wants to build a long-term economic partnership with the UAE and attract companies into sectors ranging from manufacturing and clean energy to logistics, food processing, tourism, and technology.
“Odisha’s objective is to build a strategic economic partnership with the UAE and position the State as a preferred destination for global capital, technology and enterprise,” Majhi said.
He described the UAE as an important gateway to the Middle East, Africa and other global markets, making it a natural partner for Odisha’s next phase of industrial development.
$11.5 Billion Aluminium Project Sets the Tone
The push for more UAE investment comes shortly after Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company (IHC) and the Adani Group announced an $11.5 billion joint venture for a large aluminium complex in Odisha.
Announced on July 2, the 50:50 venture will include a 4 million-tonne-per-year alumina refinery, a 2 million-tonne aluminium smelter, a 4,000MW captive power plant and downstream manufacturing facilities. The project is expected to generate around 53,500 jobs, including both construction and operational employment.
The project is being positioned as one of the largest foreign investments in India’s metals sector and gives Odisha a major example of what deeper UAE-India industrial partnerships could look like.
Majhi said the state wants to build on that momentum.
“We want more UAE companies to make Odisha part of their global supply chains and growth strategies,” he told Gulf News.
Odisha Wants to Move Beyond Raw Materials
Odisha already has a strong industrial base, particularly in mining and metals, but the state government wants a larger share of value-added activity to take place within Odisha.
The state’s latest economic data shows that industry accounted for 41.3% of Odisha’s GSVA in 2025-26, while services accounted for 39.1% and agriculture and allied activities for 19.6%. The state’s economy grew at an estimated 7.9% in 2025-26.
Odisha is also one of India’s most important mineral-producing states. The state’s 2025-26 Economic Survey shows that Odisha accounted for 43.72% of India’s mineral production by value in 2024-25.
Majhi said the next phase of growth should involve more processing, manufacturing and technology rather than relying primarily on the extraction and export of raw materials.
“We are moving from a resource-based economy to one driven by technology and value addition,” he said.
Clean Energy and Technology Among Priority Areas
Odisha is looking to diversify its investment base beyond traditional heavy industries.
According to Majhi, the state is seeking UAE partnerships across manufacturing, clean energy, logistics, food processing, tourism and technology.
That approach fits with Odisha’s wider industrial strategy, which aims to use its natural resources, ports, industrial infrastructure and growing domestic market to attract higher-value businesses.
For UAE investors, the opportunity extends beyond setting up individual factories. The state is seeking companies that can integrate Odisha into regional and international supply chains, potentially using the UAE as a commercial gateway into Middle Eastern and African markets.
Why the UAE Matters to Odisha
The UAE has become an increasingly important source of capital and business links for India, while Indian companies have also expanded their presence in the Emirates.
For Odisha, the attraction lies not only in the availability of investment capital but also in the UAE’s established role in logistics, trade, ports, energy, finance and global distribution.
Majhi’s comments indicate that Odisha wants to build relationships that extend beyond one-off investments and towards longer-term industrial partnerships.
The IHC-Adani aluminium project is an early example of that model, combining UAE capital with an Indian industrial group and Odisha’s mineral and manufacturing base.
Can Odisha Reach $500 Billion by 2036?
The size of Odisha’s economic ambition is significant.
The state is targeting a $500 billion economy by 2036, followed by a $1.5 trillion economy by 2047. Achieving those goals will require sustained growth in manufacturing, services, infrastructure, exports and private investment.
Odisha’s current economic structure provides a strong starting point, with industry already accounting for more than two-fifths of GSVA and services growing rapidly. The challenge will be to convert the state’s resource advantage into a broader industrial and technology ecosystem.
That is where foreign investment could become particularly important.
Rather than simply increasing the volume of capital entering the state, Odisha is looking to attract investment that brings technology, manufacturing capability, global market access and higher-value jobs.
The Next Phase Will Depend on More Than One Mega Project
The IHC-Adani project gives Odisha a major UAE-linked investment to build around, but the state’s larger objective is to attract a wider group of companies.
Its pitch to UAE investors is increasingly clear: Odisha offers natural resources, industrial capacity and a growing economy, while the UAE can provide capital, technology, logistics links and access to international markets.
For Majhi’s government, converting that potential into multiple investments across manufacturing, energy, logistics, food processing, tourism and technology will be crucial.
The $500 billion target is therefore not simply a question of attracting more investment. It will depend on whether Odisha can turn its existing resource strengths into a broader, higher-value economy.
The state is now looking to the UAE to become an important partner in making that transition.
Source: Gulf News
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Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi tells Gulf News the state wants UAE partnerships in manufacturing, clean energy, logistics, tourism and technology.
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