Archive · 14 Sep 2026
Odisha UAE outreach draws investment claims, opposition challenges success
Odisha’s chief minister travelled to the United Arab Emirates to meet possible investors.
The state government says the trip led to investment proposals worth more than Rs 2.43 lakh crore.
Officials said 24 agreements or investment intentions came from 32 meetings.
The meetings took place in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The government says the proposed projects could create more than 6.18 lakh direct jobs.
The projects may involve tourism, logistics, food, mining, metals and other industries.
Investors from Jordan and Oman showed interest, but they did not sign formal agreements.
Congress and the BJD said the government’s claims were exaggerated and called the trip a publicity exercise.
The industries minister rejected that criticism and said the BJP government had attracted major investments.
Odisha says its three-day UAE outreach generated investment proposals worth more than Rs 2.43 lakh crore.
The programme produced 24 MoUs and investment intents after 32 meetings in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the proposals could create more than 6.18 lakh direct jobs.
The proposed projects cover tourism, logistics, finance, food processing, minerals, mining, metals, aluminium and steel.
The opposition Congress and BJD called the claims exaggerated and a publicity stunt, while the industries minister defended the outreach.
- Who
- Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the Odisha government, investors from the UAE and Gulf countries, and opposition parties Congress and BJD.
- What
- A three-day UAE investor outreach programme that Odisha says produced proposals worth more than Rs 2.43 lakh crore, including 24 MoUs and investment intents.
- When
- The outreach took place over three days; the report was dated September 13. The articles also say an Intel-related MoU was signed in May 2026 and an ACME-IHI cooperation agreement in July of that year.
- Where
- Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, with proposed projects in Odisha.
- Why
- To attract foreign investment, diversify Odisha’s agro-based economy, create jobs and support the goal of becoming a USD 500 billion economy by 2036.
Government’s account
Opposition’s criticism
Value and impact of proposals
Government’s account
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the UAE outreach attracted proposals worth more than Rs 2.43 lakh crore and could create over 6.18 lakh direct jobs.
Opposition’s criticism
Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das called the investment and employment claims grossly exaggerated and baseless; the BJD said investment on the ground was zero in two-and-a-half years.
Assessment of the UAE visit
Government’s account
Majhi described the outreach as a huge success, and Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain said the BJP government had achieved more in two-and-a-half years than the BJD did in 10 years.
Opposition’s criticism
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty described the visit as a publicity stunt and questioned its results, citing what he called the zero outcome of an earlier Singapore tour.
Implementation of investments
Government’s account
The industries minister said projects worth Rs 3.20 lakh had been grounded or inaugurated during the previous two years and defended the government’s investment record.
Opposition’s criticism
The opposition argued that the announced figures did not demonstrate investment actually reaching the ground.
- Reported investment proposals
- More than Rs 2.43 lakh crore
- MoUs and investment intents
- 24
- Investor engagements
- 32 one-to-one meetings and round-table engagements
- Expected direct employment
- More than 6.18 lakh people
- Business participation
- Around 400 business leaders and investors from the UAE and other Gulf countries
- Proposed sectors
- Travel and tourism, logistics, finance, processed food, critical minerals, rare earths, metals and mining, aluminium and steel downstream
- Reported investment since January 2025
- Rs 22.5 lakh crore, according to the chief minister