THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
AHMEDABAD/BHUBANESWAR,
MAY 6, 2026
“Balanced coastal development is essential for
India’s long-term competitiveness. The east coast will play a defining role in
the next decade of growth,” asserted Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi
on Wednesday, as he pitched for a strategic shift towards eastern seaboard-led
development during his ongoing three-day visit to Gujarat.
On the second day of
his tour, the Chief Minister visited Mundra Port and engaged with industry
leaders, making a compelling case for unlocking the untapped economic potential
of India’s east coast, with Odisha positioned as a natural gateway for the
country’s next phase of industrial expansion.
“India’s growth cannot remain one-sided. The
next phase of industrial expansion must be powered by the east coast,” said Majhi
while addressing industry stakeholders.
He highlighted that
while the western coastline has evolved into a powerhouse of maritime trade and
industrial activity, the eastern seaboard stands at a crucial inflection point,
ready to replicate and scale similar success. “What has been achieved on the
west coast must now be expanded on the east. Odisha offers the ecosystem,
connectivity, and policy support to enable that transition,” he added.
Emphasising Odisha’s
strategic geographic advantage, Majhi underlined its proximity to Southeast
Asia, East Asia, and the wider Indo-Pacific region — factors that significantly
enhance its role in global trade networks and supply chain diversification. He
proposed a forward-looking ‘two-coast strategy’, encouraging industries to
balance operations across both coasts by leveraging western strengths while
capitalising on emerging eastern opportunities.
The high-level
delegation, which included Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain and
Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) Hemant Sharma, showcased Odisha’s
investor-friendly policy framework, robust infrastructure readiness, and
facilitation-driven governance model during interactions with industry leaders.
As part of the visit,
the delegation undertook a comprehensive tour of the Mundra Industrial Area and
Special Economic Zone (SEZ), gaining insights into large-scale cargo operations
at the Container Jetty and Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Jetty. They also
visited key industrial facilities, including copper manufacturing units and
renewable energy component manufacturing sites such as solar cell and wind
turbine units — highlighting the scale and integration of industrial
ecosystems.
Reinforcing Odisha’s
growth narrative, the Chief Minister spotlighted a strong investment pipeline
and emerging opportunities across logistics, chemicals, petrochemicals, and
downstream manufacturing, supported by rapidly expanding industrial
infrastructure.
Speaking on the
occasion, Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain said, “I have witnessed how
Paradip has played a pivotal role in shaping Odisha’s economic growth real,
visible, and transformative. Today, we are building on that strong foundation
to usher in a new phase of port-led industrialisation. With a clear focus on
timely approvals, strong facilitation, and faster grounding, Odisha is ensuring
that investments translate into real economic activity, industrial expansion,
and large-scale job creation.”
The visit underscored Odisha’s strategic push towards port-led industrialisation, with coastal infrastructure emerging as the backbone of its economic expansion. Through industrial corridors, logistics hubs, and SEZs, the state is developing integrated ecosystems that seamlessly link manufacturing to global markets.
With major ports such as Paradip Port, Dhamra Port, and Gopalpur Port driving connectivity and industrial clustering, Odisha is steadily positioning itself as a high-impact growth engine on India’s eastern seaboard.
