The Business Bytes
THEBUISNESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JUNE 18, 2025
“Increasing the contribution of industry and manufacturing to Odisha’s GDP remains a top priority for us,” declared Hemant Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries & MSME Department, Government of Odisha, while inaugurating the 2nd edition of the Odisha Manufacturing Conclave 2025 organized by ASSOCHAM at a city hotel.
Speaking at the conclave themed “AI-Driven Manufacturing: Innovation, Efficiency, and Sustainable Growth,” Sharma stated that manufacturing currently accounts for 36% of the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), while industry and manufacturing combined contribute 53%. “We see a clear opportunity to raise this significantly. Our policy ecosystem is designed to catalyze this growth. Many investment proposals have not only been received but also successfully grounded,” he said.
Highlighting Odisha’s industrial evolution, Sharma emphasized the role of advanced technologies in optimizing production. “Technological progress has halved the land requirement for establishing aluminium plants with twice the capacity,” he noted. He also underlined the state government’s focus on providing skilled manpower and robust infrastructure to support industrial growth.
Sharma unveiled a knowledge report jointly prepared by ASSOCHAM and Primus Partners, offering insights into the future of AI-powered manufacturing.
The event commenced with a welcome address by Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, Chairman, ASSOCHAM Odisha State Development Council, who called for greater synergy between government, industry, and academia. “Odisha must shift from being merely resource-rich to becoming digitally intelligent,” Mohanty said, stressing the central role of AI in modern manufacturing.
Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner to East and North East India, spoke on Indo-UK industrial collaboration. “Odisha aligns well with the UK’s expertise in smart factory automation and sustainable supply chain practices, especially in the era of critical minerals and digital transformation,” he said.
The conclave featured two high-impact plenary sessions—one on policy and tech integration for a competitive manufacturing ecosystem, and another on AI-driven innovations for sustainable manufacturing. Both sessions brought together top industry minds to explore actionable strategies for Odisha’s industrial future.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Perminder Jeet Kaur, Senior Director – East & Northeast, ASSOCHAM. The conclave saw participation from senior government officials, global delegates, and industry leaders including D. Prasanth Kumar Reddy, Sashi Sekhar Mohanty, Prabodh Mohanty, Prashant Hota, and Bharat Dureja.
The Odisha Manufacturing Conclave 2025 ended on a high note, reinforcing the state’s ambition to emerge as a national leader in smart, sustainable, and AI-integrated manufacturing.
