ABU DHABI, September 9, 2026: Odisha has signed agreements with Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company (IHC) and the Adani Group to explore 14 projects involving an indicative investment of ₹2,10,500 crore, with the proposed projects carrying employment potential of around 8.68 lakh jobs.
The agreements were signed during Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s investment outreach in the United Arab Emirates, as the state seeks to attract global capital, expand trade and investment ties with Gulf markets and strengthen its industrial and infrastructure base.
The proposed investment pipeline covers a wide range of sectors, including metal downstream industries, iron-ore beneficiation, slurry and pelletisation, critical minerals and rare earths, chemicals and petrochemicals, renewable-energy equipment, healthcare, industrial infrastructure, tourism, food processing, artificial intelligence and data centres, skill development and sports infrastructure.
According to the Odisha government, the employment potential includes approximately 1.90 lakh direct and on-site jobs, 4.02 lakh indirect jobs and 2.77 lakh construction jobs.
Officials have clarified that the investment figures are indicative and that the proposed projects remain subject to feasibility studies, due diligence, statutory approvals and the execution of definitive agreements.
Among the largest proposals is a ₹50,000-crore hyperscale artificial intelligence data-centre hub at Naraj, signalling Odisha’s push to attract investment in digital infrastructure and emerging technologies.
A ₹40,000-crore coal-to-chemicals complex at Bedabahal is also under consideration.
The proposed portfolio includes a 60-million-tonne-per-annum iron-ore beneficiation, slurry and pelletisation chain, alongside a renewable-energy storage and equipment-manufacturing platform, with proposed investments of around ₹25,000 crore each.
Another major proposal is a ₹20,000-crore shipbuilding, ship-repair and green ship-recycling cluster, aimed at expanding Odisha’s maritime and port-linked industrial ecosystem.
The plans further include a proposed ₹15,000-crore integrated sports, wellness and sustainable city and an estimated ₹10,000-crore petrochemical downstream and packaging park at Paradip through the Adani-IHC partnership.
Other projects include a ₹5,000-crore industrial park and SEZ at Dhamra, a ₹5,000-crore Rare Earth Corridor and Critical Minerals Park, and a ₹5,500-crore UAE-focused integrated food and agro-processing park.
The broader investment pipeline also covers iron-ore and coal trading through Dhamra and Gopalpur ports, healthcare infrastructure, container manufacturing at Gopalpur, as well as workforce development and skilling initiatives.
The latest agreements build on a major partnership announced in July between Adani Enterprises and International Resources Holding (IRH), a company of the IHC Group.
Under the proposed 50:50 joint venture, the companies plan to develop an integrated $11.5-billion greenfield aluminium project in Odisha.
The project envisages a 4-million-tonne-per-year alumina refinery, a 2-million-tonne aluminium smelter, a 4,000-MW captive power plant and a 1-million-tonne downstream manufacturing park.
The proposed investment is estimated at around ₹1.08 lakh crore, with the project expected to create approximately 53,500 jobs across construction and operations.
The downstream manufacturing park is intended to support industries including transport, construction, power, packaging and renewable energy, potentially creating a wider industrial ecosystem around the aluminium value chain.
During Majhi’s UAE visit, discussions also advanced on potential land arrangements, with land proposed in Kalyansinghpur tehsil of Rayagada district for the alumina refinery and in Sadar tehsil of Sundargarh district for the aluminium smelter.
Odisha Targets Greater Access to UAE Markets
Majhi also met representatives of the Indian Business and Professional Group (IBPG) in Abu Dhabi to discuss opportunities to expand trade, exports and business links between Odisha and the UAE.
The discussions focused on increasing exports of turmeric, ginger, seafood and processed food products, along with opportunities for contract manufacturing for UAE brands.
A Memorandum of Cooperation was also signed between Odisha and IBPG to promote bilateral trade and investment.
The state is additionally seeking opportunities to deploy skilled professionals from Odisha in the UAE and strengthen commercial links between Odisha-based companies and Gulf markets.
In another engagement, Majhi invited Borouge to explore the possibility of establishing a large-scale chemicals downstream complex in Odisha, potentially linked to feedstock from Indian Oil Corporation’s planned naphtha cracker at Paradip.
The state has also presented UAE-based investment institutions with opportunities to participate in infrastructure development through public-private partnerships, including port and other large-scale infrastructure projects.
Majhi highlighted Odisha’s combination of natural resources, industrial capabilities, strategic location and a growing infrastructure ecosystem, while inviting IHC and its group companies to explore long-term opportunities in critical minerals, metallurgy, port-led development and emerging industries.
The proposed ₹2.10 lakh crore investment should be viewed as an indicative investment pipeline rather than committed capital.
Individual projects will still need to undergo feasibility assessments, due diligence, regulatory and statutory approvals, land-related processes and further contractual negotiations before they can move into implementation.
Even so, the agreements represent a significant expansion of Odisha’s engagement with Gulf-based investors and could strengthen the state’s position across sectors ranging from metals and critical minerals to technology, energy, logistics and advanced manufacturing.
Majhi’s UAE outreach, scheduled from September 8 to 12, forms part of Odisha’s broader strategy to attract international investment, expand exports and position the state as a major destination for global industrial and infrastructure projects.
