Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who is on a four-day visit to Singapore, on Monday met his Singaporean counterparts to explore collaborations in petrochemicals, chemicals, infrastructure, and logistics sectors. The focus was on key sectors of industrial growth and skill development.
The second day for the delegation led by the CM and Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain began with a detailed tour of Surbana Jurong Petrochemicals Complex with world-class infrastructure, which has made Surbana Jurong a global leader in petrochemical processing.
According to a CMO release, this visit is particularly significant as Odisha, positioned on India’s eastern seaboard, is fast emerging as a key investment destination in the Bay of Bengal region for petrochemicals and chemicals. By leveraging insights from Singapore’s petrochemicals ecosystem, Odisha aims to further enhance its own Petroleum, Chemicals, and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) at Paradip. “As the Chief Minister of Odisha, witnessing the world-class infrastructure at Jurong Petrochemicals Complex is truly inspiring. Odisha, strategically located on India’s eastern seaboard, is rapidly emerging as a premier investment destination in the Bay of Bengal region, especially in petrochemicals. The developments at Paradip and other port-based hubs are key drivers for this growth,” he said.
Following the tour of Jurong Island, the CM met Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade & Commerce Gan Kim Yong and apprised him about the rich maritime history of Odisha and Boita Bandāna. He extended an invitation to Singaporean companies through the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office to explore opportunities in Odisha, and assured him a smooth and supportive investment experience.
The CM pushed for joint efforts in green energy, technology, and industries during his meeting with senior Minister of State, Foreign Affairs of Singapore Sim Ann. He mentioned about active cooperation of the Government of Singapore and ITEES in establishing World Skill Centre in Odisha and termed it as “a shining example of successful partnership”. He expressed the need for more such partnerships in the field of ‘Urban Mobility’, ‘Green Shipping Corridor and Chemicals and Petrochemicals Complex’.
According to a CMO release, both leaders expressed their intent to boost ties in trade, culture, and strategy between Odisha and Singapore. They focussed on heritage, tourism, and people-to-people partnerships. “The Singapore Minister recognised the role of Odia professionals in enriching Singapore’s diversity. Both the leaders converged on the need to collaborate on climate, digital growth, and sustainable futures. They agreed to make plans for innovation and investments to drive mutual growth,” it added.
The delegation invited the Deputy Prime Minister and the senior minister to visit to Odisha for the Utkarsh Odisha: Make in Odisha Conclave 2025.
The Chief Minister also held a one-to-one meeting with Chief Fintech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Sopnendu Mohanty to discuss about innovations in the fintech sector, especially from the perspective of Odisha’s growing economy. The day ended with a formal discussion with the travelling business delegation from Odisha regarding business-to-business partnerships between Singaporean and Odia firms, the release said.
“Odisha’s focus on industrial growth is complemented by our commitment to skill development. We are dedicated to expanding this partnership, enhancing training programme, and ensuring our youth are equipped with the skills necessary to meet the demands of a global workforce,” Industries Minister emphasised.
Majhi is leading the high-level led a delegation to Singapore, his first foreign visit after assuming the office in June, to showcase Odisha as a preferred investment destination. This is part of the government’s overseas outreach for the upcoming summit in January next year.
During the next two days the CM will engage in one-on-one meetings with investors and industry associations to discuss potential collaborations. The delegation will also be meeting the Odia diaspora in Singapore to seek their inputs and support to take Odisha to the next level. “These engagements are expected to further boost Odisha’s reputation as a premier investment hub in India,” it added.