Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to bolster India’s position in the global digital economy, Odisha’s Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi today launched the Integrated Global Financial Technology Capability Hub (I-GFTCH), known as the ‘BharatNetra initiative’.
The event, held at Mayfair, was attended by Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha Electronics & IT Minister Shri Mukesh Mahaling, and GFTN Group CEO Sopnendu Mohanty.
The Chief Minister described BharatNetra as a transformative initiative poised to shape the future of finance in Odisha, with the state playing a central role in strengthening India’s global digital leadership. The hub is a collaboration between the Odisha government and Singapore-based organizations, including the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), the National University of Singapore, and the Asian Institute of Digital Finance.
The project is an outcome of the historic visit of the President of Singapore, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, to Odisha in January of this year.
The I-GFTCH will focus on four key pillars:
Global Learning: A certification program, designed by the Asian Institute of Digital Finance, will skill over 7,000 students across all 30 districts of Odisha over the next five years.
Global Mindshare: The initiative will position Odisha as a leader in global financial technology.
Global Innovation: A dedicated Centre of Excellence will be established within the hub to nurture startups and entrepreneurs. The state has also created a Deep Neural Network Laboratory to further its vision of becoming the “Research Capital of the East.”
Global Capability Hub: A Global Capability Centre (GCC) will be established to attract new investments and global financial institutions to the state.
In his address, CM Majhi highlighted the state’s efforts to enhance digital infrastructure, including the ongoing establishment of a ‘cable landing station connecting Bhubaneswar to Singapore’. He also noted that Odisha, the first state to formulate an AI Policy, is in the process of launching a dedicated FinTech Policy and GCC Policy to attract global investments. He thanked the Prime Minister for the approval of two semiconductor fabrication units in Odisha, emphasizing the state’s role in this national mission.
Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the BharatNetra initiative aligns with the national priority of skilling youth for the global digital economy, which will strengthen India’s leadership in financial inclusion and innovation.
Electronics & IT Minister, Dr. Mukesh Mahaling, emphasized that Odisha is emerging as India’s innovation frontier, having secured over $23 billion in new investments this year. GFTN Group CEO Sopnendu Mohanty called the initiative a strategic move that will redefine Odisha’s role as India’s gateway to the Asia-Pacific financial technology corridor.
The launch event also saw the unveiling of the BharatNetra Hackathon Website and a GCC+ program. The first batch of 375 students has been selected from over 3,800 applicants and is set to graduate by January 2026.