Odisha will pitch its chemical and petrochemical investment potential at India Chem 2026 in Mumbai, with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi scheduled to meet representatives of more than 20 companies and promote a proposed chemical industrial park and coal gasification projects.
Majhi is on a two-day visit to Mumbai and will participate in the event’s inaugural session and CEO Roundtable, chaired by Union chemicals and fertilisers minister J P Nadda. Odisha’s outreach will focus on attracting new investments, expanding downstream manufacturing and strengthening the state’s position as an industrial destination.
The state is expected to highlight its industrial infrastructure, investment policies and existing manufacturing ecosystem before domestic and global industry stakeholders. It will participate alongside Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, while competing with established chemical hubs such as Maharashtra and Gujarat, which have built their sectoral capacity over several decades.
A central part of Odisha’s pitch will be direct engagement with industry leaders. The chief minister is scheduled to hold one-to-one meetings with more than 20 leading companies to discuss potential investments, industrial expansion, downstream production and new ventures. The discussions are also expected to cover opportunities in plastics, packaging and other industries linked to the chemical value chain.
Odisha may announce a dedicated large-scale chemical industrial park at the event, according to the report. The proposed park is intended to strengthen the state’s industrial ecosystem, encourage value addition and attract investments across chemical and petrochemical manufacturing. The state is also showcasing coal gasification as an emerging industrial opportunity.
Official data cited in the report shows that Odisha has attracted 56 companies in the chemical and petrochemical sector over the past two years. These proposals represent investments of Rs 1.93 lakh crore and have the potential to create 1.12 lakh jobs. Of these proposals, 27 projects involving Rs 60,825 crore have been launched, with potential employment for 35,351 people.
Recent activity has included nine projects in Jajpur. Five of them were inaugurated and four received groundbreaking ceremonies, representing investments of Rs 4,136 crore and expected employment for 1,508 people. The figures indicate that the state’s investment strategy is moving beyond broad proposals towards project-level implementation in at least one important industrial cluster.
The expansion of chemical and petrochemical manufacturing would also affect the infrastructure required around industrial locations, including factory sites, logistics networks, utilities and downstream production facilities. The report, however, does not provide details of the proposed chemical park’s location, land requirement, investment structure, construction schedule or environmental approvals.
Hemant Sharma, additional chief secretary in the industries department, said Odisha was seeking to expand its presence in high-potential sectors through direct engagement with industry leaders and by building a competitive industrial ecosystem. He said the proposed chemical park and focus on coal gasification could create new opportunities for investment, value addition and employment.
The next steps will depend on the outcome of the company’s meetings in Mumbai and any formal announcement regarding the chemical industrial park. Details of project locations, implementation timelines and approvals will be required to assess how the proposed investment pipeline translates into operational industrial capacity.
