The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025 and Make in Odisha Exhibition in Bhubaneswar, Odisha today. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said this was his second visit to Odisha in the month of January 2025, recalling his visit to inaugurate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2025 event. Noting that this was the biggest business Summit in Odisha till date, PM Modi said that there were around 5-6 times more investors participating in Make in Odisha Conclave 2025. He also congratulated the people and the Government of Odisha for organising the grand event.
“Eastern India is a growth engine in the development of the country and Odisha plays a key role in this”, exclaimed the Prime Minister. He added that historic data also reveals that the contributions of Eastern India were remarkable when India played a major role in global growth. PM Modi noted that there were huge industrial hubs, ports, trade hubs in Eastern India and Odisha’s participation in this was remarkable. “Odisha used to be an important center in South Eastern Asian trade and the ports were a gateway to India”, said the Prime Minister. He added that Bali Yatra is celebrated even today in Odisha. Recalling the recent visit of the President of Indonesia to India, the Prime Minister said that the President’s words that there were probably traces of Odisha in his DNA.
The Prime Minister remarked that Odisha celebrates a legacy which connects it with South East Asia. He added that Odisha had now begun to revive the glorious heritage in the 21st century. He noted that the President of Singapore recently visited Odisha and Singapore was very enthusiastic about its relationship with Odisha. He highlighted that ASEAN countries have also shown interest in strengthening trade and traditional connections with Odisha. The Prime Minister emphasized that numerous opportunities were opening up in this region, more than ever before since independence. He called upon all the investors present, stating that now is the right time to invest in Odisha’s development journey and assured that their investment would lead to new heights of success.
“India is on a path of development driven by the aspirations of crores of people”, remarked PM Modi and emphasized that AI stands for both Artificial Intelligence and Aspiration of India, which is the country’s strength. He said that aspirations grow when people’s needs are met, and the past decade has empowered crores of citizens, benefiting the nation. The Prime Minister highlighted that Odisha represents this aspiration. He described Odisha as outstanding, symbolizing the optimism and originality of New India. He added that Odisha had numerous opportunities, and its people have always shown a passion for outperforming. Sharing his personal experience of witnessing the skills, hard work, and honesty of people from Odisha in Gujarat, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that with new opportunities emerging in Odisha, the state will soon reach unprecedented heights of development. He praised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi and his team for their efforts in accelerating Odisha’s development. The Prime Minister noted that Odisha is becoming one of India’s leading states in various industries, including food processing, petrochemicals, port-led development, fisheries, IT, edutech, textiles, tourism, mining, and green energy.
