Odisha Positions Itself as a Global Hub for AI, FinTech and Digital-Led Growth Anchored in Inclusion, Talent Development, Jobs and Global Investment
The inaugural Black Swan Summit India 2026 concluded in Bhubaneswar in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, as the chief guest and under the leadership of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
The summit was organised by the Odisha government under the BharatNetra initiative, in partnership with the Singapore-headquartered Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), to highlight the digital and financial transformation underway in Odisha through the development of a future-ready workforce, a world-class FinTech hub and Global Capability Centres.
Over two days, the summit brought together nearly 1,500 delegates from 24 countries and close to 100 speakers from five continents, including senior government leaders, global financial institutions, technology innovators, investors, students and entrepreneurs.
Deliberations focused on concrete pathways for Odisha’s economic development through AI-enabled finance, FinTech and InsurTech digital public infrastructure, and large-scale job creation.
President highlights the importance of skills, innovation and global collaboration
Addressing the summit today, Murmu said, “Advancing skill development, establishing global capability centres and strengthening innovation capacity are critical investments in human capital. I am pleased to note that the Government of Odisha has launched the BharatNetra initiative to build a future-ready workforce and innovation ecosystem in digital, financial and insurance technology sectors. I appreciate the Government of Odisha and the Global Finance & Technology Network for co-organising the Black Swan Summit as part of this initiative. I am confident that the discussions and collaborations emerging from this Summit will have a transformative impact not only for Odisha, but for India and the world.”
President said that we are living in a time when technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace. New innovations arrive so rapidly that our systems, skills, and business models often struggle to keep up. At the same time, these rapid advancements can also bring serious challenges, including cybersecurity threats, deepfakes, misinformation, and an increasing dependence on technology. However, the rapid technological changes have a huge positive impact on innovation and growth. Through events such as Black Swan Summit, innovative methods can be explored to leverage technologies for further enhancing capabilities through skilling, generate employment and accelerate the digital and financial transformation.
The President said that in the past decade, India has witnessed an impactful revolution in the financial system. Direct benefit transfer into bank accounts and the digital payments have become very common among farmers, small shopkeepers and women. For them, “fintech” is not a technical term, it has become their lifeline.
The President said that India’s fintech story should be remembered not only as a tale of technology but also as that of gender justice. Women constitute an important segment that requires focused attention for the promotion of fintech. Fintech ecosystem must view them not only as end users but as leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs. For every new platform, product, or policy, it needs to be evaluated if it makes women active participants in the digital and financial ecosystem.
The President said that fintech does not guarantee inclusion on its own. There continue to be citizens, especially in remote, tribal, and rural areas, who are not conversant with the digital tools. Skilling them is very important to make them participants in the development journey. Only then, fintech can become an engine of inclusion, employment generation and promotion of entrepreneurship. She urged entrepreneurs and innovators to ensure that technology becomes a tool for social justice and inclusion.
The President said that technology has a huge potential for making positive impact on all sectors of economy and all sections of society. However, at times it can be misused for financial frauds. It is pertinent to enhance awareness among people to be vigilant and alert to prevent such frauds. The Government of India has undertaken various measures to prevent and report such frauds including setting up of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System and Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre. Ensuring digital and financial literacy is essential to deter online financial fraud. It needs to be made part of school curricula so that the advantages and disadvantages of technology can be understood at a young age.
The President said that advancing skill development, establishing global capability centres, and enhancing innovation capacity are investments in human capital. She was happy to note that Government of Odisha has launched BharatNetra initiative for building a future-ready workforce and innovation ecosystem in digital, financial and insurance technology sectors. She appreciated Government of Odisha and Global Finance and Technology Network for co-organising the Black Swan Summit as part of the BharatNetra initiative. She expressed confidence that discussions and collaborations that emerge from this Summit will be of transformative effect not only for Odisha but also for India and the world.
Distinguished participation and national significance
Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati; Dr. Mukesh Mahaling, Odisha Minister for Electronics & Information Technology; Suryabanshi Suraj, Odisha Minister for Higher Education; Anu Garg, Chief Secretary; Vishal Kumar Dev, Additional Chief Secretary, Electronics & IT; Ravi Menon, Chairman, GFTN; and Sopnendu Mohanty, Group CEO of GFTN, were among the distinguished global leaders, investors and partners.
Chief Minister highlights Odisha’s digital growth vision
Majhi said, “Odisha is emerging as a hub for FinTech and InsurTech innovation, supported by the IT Policy 2025 and the forthcoming FinTech Policy, which aim to provide regulatory clarity, incentives and infrastructure for job creation and investment. The state is simultaneously developing an ecosystem for Global Capability Centres, supported by earmarked land, modern infrastructure, data centres and semiconductor manufacturing initiatives.”
Garg said, “For global corporations and investors present here, the message from Odisha has been consistent. The State offers policy stability, regulatory clarity, institutional continuity, a growing industry-ready talent base and a governance framework rooted in trust. These are the reasons why global investors and companies are committing to support Odisha through investment, talent pipelines, global capability centres and innovation partnerships.”
Some of the global leaders who joined the summit include Douglas Feagin, President, Ant International; Michael Schlein, President and Chief Executive Officer, Accion; Makoto Shibata, Chief Executive Officer, FINOLAB; Kimihiro Sakaguchi, Managing Director, SMBC Global Services; Jinya Suzuki, Managing Director, MUFG Global Service; Yanan Wu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Surfin Meta Digital Technology; Alex Capri, global author and Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore Business School; and Tek Yew, Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore – Asian Institute of Digital Finance (NUS-AIDF).
Their participation is significant for Odisha. It signals that leading global institutions in finance, technology and policy view Odisha as a credible destination for investment, talent and innovation. Their presence strengthens Odisha’s integration into international digital finance networks and builds confidence among long-term investors.
BharatNetra partnership shows early results
A key highlight of the address was BharatNetra, Odisha’s Integrated Global Financial Technology Capability Hub developed in partnership with GFTN.
Ravi Menon, Chairman of GFTN, said,“At the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam visited India last year. His visit to Odisha signalled the State’s strategic importance as India’s eastern gateway and marked a watershed moment in Singapore–Odisha relations. One of the MoUs signed then led to the BharatNetra partnership. We have made substantial progress in just one year.”
The partnership has already delivered tangible outcomes. A hands-on FinTech and InsurTech training programme designed by the National University of Singapore’s Asian Institute of Digital Finance has graduated its first cohort of 195 students, many of whom are being considered for industry roles. A second cohort will begin soon, with the programme targeting 7,000 students over five years. Top performers will gain global exposure in Japan through the MUFG Young Innovators initiative and at the Singapore FinTech Festival 2026.
Menon added that if states like Odisha successfully combine technology with jobs, inclusion and dignity, it could offer a template for many developing economies.
MoUs signed to drive jobs, innovation and inclusion
The summit witnessed the signing of strategic MoUs with corporate partners including Bajaj General Insurance, Advanze Tech, Annapurna Tech Universe, ESTPL, ProgCap, Propelld, ShovelTech Solutions, Spice Money, Surfin, Symbo Insurtech, Universal Pensions and Vayana, creating pathways from education to employment, policy to pilots and innovation to implementation.
The Odisha government’s Department of Electronics & IT also signed an MoU with Sarvam AI to establish a Sovereign AI Park in the state. The initiative will build secure compute infrastructure and enable population-scale AI applications across education, agriculture, healthcare, governance and public safety, strengthening last-mile service delivery through voice-enabled platforms.
Another partnership involving ANT International, GFTN and Mission Shakti will support women entrepreneurs in scaling digital commerce and accessing global markets.
A defining moment for Odisha’s global digital future
The Black Swan Summit India marks a decisive step in Odisha’s ambition to establish Bhubaneswar as a globally connected centre for AI-enabled finance, innovation and global capability services. With the Hon’ble President’s presence, the State’s journey toward inclusive, technology-led prosperity received both recognition and renewed momentum.
