Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards fostering international collaboration, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi held a high-level meeting with the Ambassador of Spain to India, Juan Antonio March Pujol, at Lok Seva Bhawan on Friday. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation between Spain and Odisha across key sectors including renewable energy, metallurgy, textiles, and automobiles.
During the discussion, the Chief Minister underlined Odisha’s position as India’s mineral powerhouse and a fast-growing industrial hub. He spotlighted the recent investment by TIMAB Magnesium India Pvt. Ltd.—a subsidiary of the French-Spanish Groupe Roullier—which is setting up a ₹90 crore refractory manufacturing unit in Khordha. The project is expected to create over 300 jobs and marks a growing Spanish footprint in Odisha’s industrial landscape.
In the field of renewable energy, Chief Minister Majhi highlighted the state’s progressive new Renewable Energy Policy and invited Spanish energy giants such as Siemens Gamesa, Acciona, and Iberdrola to explore investment opportunities in solar parks, offshore wind, and green hydrogen projects. He also emphasized Odisha’s readiness to collaborate on floating solar technology and advanced energy storage systems, reinforcing the state’s commitment to a sustainable green transition.
Textile and apparel manufacturing was another area of focus. The Chief Minister encouraged renowned Spanish fashion houses like ZARA, Desigual, and Mango to consider Odisha as a sourcing hub and to invest in joint innovation centres within the state’s integrated textile parks. He pointed out that Odisha’s skilled manpower, robust infrastructure, and forward-looking policies create an ideal environment for global brands.
Ambassador Pujol expressed appreciation for Odisha’s dynamic industrial ecosystem and growing global outlook. He noted Spain’s keen interest in establishing long-term, technology-driven partnerships with Odisha across multiple sectors. The meeting, he said, opened new avenues for collaboration and mutual growth between the two regions.
Additional Chief Secretaries Nikunj Bihari Dhal, Satyabrata Sahoo (Home), and Hemant Kumar Sharma (Industries) were also present at the meeting, which concluded with a shared commitment to initiate further dialogue and exchange between Spanish stakeholders and Odisha’s industry leaders.
