Bhubaneswar: Odisha IT Minister Mukesh Mahaling said the state is steadily emerging as a key hub for FinTech and InsurTech, aligned with India’s broader digital and innovation-led growth agenda.
MoUs were signed between Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) and the Startup Policy Forum, and between Corporate Champions of BharatNetra and the IT Department of Odisha in the presence of the minister. The conference will conclude Friday.
“Together, these partnerships reinforce Odisha’s commitment to building a future-ready, innovation-driven digital economy with global linkages,” he said.
The summit stands out as a powerful platform where ideas translate into action — unlocking new jobs, global opportunities, advanced technologies, and innovation, while strengthening global financial networks through collaboration and a shared vision, Mahaling said.
Speaking to reporters, the minister said partnerships with FinTech and InsurTech companies aim to create an ecosystem in Odisha for skilling and employment of about 7,000 youths over the next five years.
Participating in the event, Chief Secretary Anu Garg said Odisha has emerged as a USD 112 billion economy. It has strong fundamentals with a 69 per cent working-age population and the best fiscal health record in India with two decades of revenue surplus.
Rich in minerals and rapidly diversifying beyond traditional industries into EVs, electronics and green energy, the state is focused on value-added manufacturing, infrastructure expansion and ease of doing business, she said.
“Odisha aims to create 10 million jobs by 2027, scale to a USD 500 billion economy by 2036 and USD 1.5 trillion by 2047, while advancing urbanisation, disaster resilience, women’s participation and positioning itself as a global health and skills hub,” Garg noted.
Vishal Kumar Dev, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Electronics and Information Technology Department, said that in the fintech sector, Odisha offers three key strengths — scale with inclusion demonstrated by digital finance empowering women’s self-help groups; a strong talent pipeline of engineers and data professionals; and a governance culture rooted in trust and policy stability.
With competitive costs, quality of life and stable policies, the state is emerging as a destination for global capability centres and fintech innovation, Dev added.
