Indian State Courts UAE Investors After Landmark IHC-Adani Aluminium Deal

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Fresh from securing a proposed $1.10 trillion integrated aluminium project involving Abu Dhabi-based IHC Group and the Adani Group, India's eastern state of Odisha is turning to the UAE to attract a broader wave of investment across manufacturing, logistics, ports and export-oriented industries.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will lead a delegation to Abu Dhabi and Dubai from September 9 to 11, seeking meetings with sovereign investors, fund houses, financial institutions and industry leaders as Odisha looks to deepen economic ties with the UAE and position itself as a gateway for export-led industrial growth.

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The outreach comes at a time when competition among Indian states for foreign capital is intensifying. For Odisha, however, the recently announced IHC-Adani aluminium proposal has become a powerful reference point in conversations with Gulf investors.

“Our confidence is backed by the $1.10 trillion integrated aluminium proposal with IHC Group and Adani Group, which has the potential to create 53,500 jobs. We are here to convert interest into investment and investment into lasting value,” Majhi told Khaleej Times.

The chief minister said the state's goal is to move beyond being primarily a resource supplier and become a hub for value-added manufacturing integrated into global supply chains.“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,” he said, describing the UAE as“a gateway to the Middle East, Africa and global markets”.

The state plans to pitch investment opportunities in metallurgy, downstream metals industries, food and seafood processing, port-based industrial parks, logistics infrastructure, shipbuilding, rare earth corridors, chemicals and petrochemicals. These sectors also form the backbone of Odisha's broader strategy to increase exports and develop higher-value industries.

Officials say infrastructure and industrial capacity will be central to the discussions in the UAE. Odisha is highlighting its long coastline, major ports and growing manufacturing base as it seeks investors with operational expertise, particularly in logistics and transport infrastructure.“UAE expertise in ports, logistics, airports, utilities, tourism and urban infrastructure makes it a natural partner,” Majhi said.

The chief minister stressed that Odisha has undergone a significant economic transformation in recent years. The state's real gross state domestic product is expected to grow 7.9 per cent in the 2025-26 financial year, while industry contributes 41.3 per cent of gross state value added.

He said reforms focused on regulatory simplification, digital approvals and investor facilitation were helping create what he described as a“predictable, transparent and trust based business environment”.

Foreign investment remains a key pillar of Odisha's growth strategy. Majhi said the government is following a“targeted and relationship driven strategy” backed by policy incentives, project facilitation and industrial infrastructure.

Beyond aluminium, Odisha sees major opportunities for Gulf investors in green energy, logistics, food processing, tourism and digital infrastructure.“We now seek UAE partnerships across manufacturing, clean energy, logistics, food processing, tourism and technology,” he said.

Among the sectors being highlighted during the roadshow are“aluminium and metal downstream, green energy, ports and logistics, food and seafood processing, tourism and hospitality, and digital infrastructure”, according to the chief minister.

The state also hopes to leverage the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to connect manufacturing operations in Odisha with markets across the Gulf region.

For Majhi, the ambition extends beyond attracting a handful of projects. He wants the IHC-Adani proposal to become a model for future UAE-Odisha partnerships.

“The $1.10 trillion integrated aluminium proposal with IHC Group and Adani Group provides a blueprint for partnerships at scale. We want more UAE companies to make Odisha part of their global supply chains and growth strategies,” he said.

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