A senior delegation of ASEAN Heads of Missions in India led by Ms. Pattarat Hongtong, Ambassador to Royal Thai Embassy, India completed their 3-day visit to Odisha with a fruitful meeting with Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha. In a meeting held at the Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, Shri Patnaik thanked the delegation for visiting Odisha. Addressing the Heads of Missions, Shri Patnaik said, “Odisha has the boon of geography and has been blessed with natural resources and major ports on the Bay of Bengal. We are the gateway to the ASEAN region. As we move to a modern world, connected more and more through technology, I hope that we can renew the strong ties between our two regions. I hope that in the coming years we can further strengthen our trade ties and not just that, I also hope that we can increase our cultural ties and come up with more cultural exchange programs.”
The Hon’ble Chief Minister also invited the Ambassadors to attend the Make in Odisha Conclave’22 along with their trade delegations. He further said that the MIO Conclave’22 is a great platform to further strengthen the business ties between the two regions and Government of Odisha will facilitate G2B and B2B meeting with local companies and the trade delegations of ASEAN Nations. He also requested them to set up country desks in the International Pavilion at the MIO Conclave.
The delegation of ASEAN Heads of Missions in New Delhi had accepted the invitation to visit Odisha by the Hon’ble Chief Minister on 31st August 2022 during the Ambassadors’ Meet held in New Delhi in the lead up to Make in Odisha Conclave’22. The delegation came to Odisha on 26th October 2022. The delegation visited various industrial sites and cultural sites in the state on 26th and 27th October 2022. They also attended a cultural program hosted by Shri Pratab Keshari Deb, Hon’ble Minister of Industries, MSME and Energy, Government of Odisha on 27th October 2022.
On 28th October, the delegation visited the Khandagiri Caves and attended the 50th anniversary of Dhauli Shanti Stupa. After attending the event at Dhauli, the delegation came to Lok Seva Bhawan to participate in a Mega Business Summit organized by the Industries Department, Government of Odisha. The Business Summit was also attended by senior Government of Odisha officials led by Shri Suresh Mahapatra, Chief Secretary to Government, Shri Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Shri Shadique Alam, Director of Industries, MSME Department, and Shri Reghu G, Director, Technical Education and Training. The summit also saw the participation of all the major business associations and industries of Odisha. The aim of the summit was to discuss ways to further strengthen the trade as well as cultural ties between Odisha and South East Asia. Speaking during the summit, Shri Mahapatra highlighted the strong trade and cultural ties between South-East Asia and Odisha. He said, “Our two regions have a long and distinguished history of maritime trade and shared cultural values. I hope that we can further strengthen these ties and increase the trade and commerce between the two regions even more.” The Chief Secretary also thanked the business community in Odisha for their role in making Odisha an Industrial Hub. Talking to the industry leaders and associations, he said, “You have been an ambassador for Odisha and our business ecosystem. You have played an immense role in ensuring the goodwill generated for Odisha and have been a partner in our growth story.”
The 3-day visit by the ASEAN delegation to Odisha has been a historic one, rekindling the strong cultural and trade ties between the two regions. This visit will open up new avenues for not only Government to Government but also Business to Business and People to People contact. It also establishes Odisha as the epicenter of India’s trade ties with South East Asia.