Bhubaneswar: CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday began a three-day business outreach in Gujarat, pitching Odisha as a key driver of India’s next growth phase during high-level engagements with industry leaders from chemicals, metals and allied sectors.Addressing the Odisha Investors’ Meet roadshow in Ahmedabad, Majhi said the country’s economic expansion will be “stronger and more balanced” with eastern India playing a bigger role, positioning Odisha at the centre of this shift.“Odisha is ready for the next chapter of India’s industrial growth. We invite industry to explore, invest and grow with us as we build a future-ready ecosystem,” he said.Drawing a contrast with western India’s industrial strength, Majhi said, “Gujarat has powered India’s west. Odisha is now ready to power India’s east,” underscoring the state’s advantages in scale, speed and strategic market access. He told an audience of over 500 participants that Odisha offers a long-term competitive edge for industries looking at expansion.The roadshow featured sector-specific roundtables, including one on textiles, and focused interactions on investment opportunities, policy support and facilitation mechanisms. The CM chaired 26 one-on-one meetings, signalling what officials described as an investor-centric and responsive governance approach.Among key engagements, Majhi met Gokul Jayakrishna, MD and CEO of Asahi Songwon Colors, to explore investments in the chemicals sector. He held discussions with Nishtha Lalbhai of Atul Ltd on collaboration opportunities in life sciences chemicals, and met Nirma Ltd founder Karsanbhai Patel on expansion prospects in Odisha.In the metals segment, Majhi interacted with Prakash Sanghvi, chairman of Ratnamani Metals & Tubes Ltd., while also holding talks with Melwyn Moses, CEO of Borosil, on opportunities in the glass and materials sector.Highlighting Odisha’s industrial vision, Majhi said the state is building integrated ecosystems enabling industries to invest and scale sustainably. He also flagged the state’s coastline and port network as critical advantages, offering direct access to the Bay of Bengal and the Indo-Pacific trade corridor.Industries minister Sampad Chandra Swain said Odisha is emerging as a future-ready industrial hub backed by strong infrastructure, stable policies and a facilitation-driven approach.The delegation will visit Mundra port on Wednesday and Vadodara on Thursday as part of the outreach. The Ahmedabad roadshow, officials said, reinforces Odisha’s push to deepen investor connect and accelerate industrial growth.
