Bhubaneswar, Feb 6: The Black Swan Summit India 2026 commenced today in Bhubaneswar, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, technologists, and global investors to explore the impact of frontier technologies on India’s digital finance economy. Co-organized by the Government of Odisha and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN) under the BharatNetra Initiative, the summit is positioning Odisha as a hub for regulated digital finance and sustainable job creation.
The opening session was led by Vishal Kumar Dev, Additional Chief Secretary of Odisha’s Electronics & Information Technology Department, who highlighted Odisha’s rapid transformation into a model of governance, fiscal discipline, disaster resilience, and inclusive growth. He pointed out Bhubaneswar’s rise as a smart city, noting its robust digital infrastructure, growing IT ecosystem, and increasing global interest in fintech and technology innovation.
Dev also outlined three key strengths that Odisha offers to the fintech community: scale with inclusion (evidenced by digital finance empowering women’s self-help groups), a strong talent pipeline, and a governance culture rooted in trust and policy stability.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg emphasized Odisha’s emergence as a $112 billion economy, boasting strong fiscal health and a working-age population of 69%. With its rapidly diversifying industries — including electric vehicles, electronics, and green energy Odisha aims to create 10 million jobs by 2027, reach a $500 billion economy by 2036, and become a $1.5 trillion economy by 2047.
A Global Leaders’ Dialogue on Technology, Jobs, and Growth featured prominent speakers, including Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv, and Ravi Menon, Chairman of GFTN. The discussion explored how AI, digital finance, and global capital flows are reshaping employment and productivity while promoting inclusive growth.
The summit’s sessions also included a discussion on Building India’s Continuous Learning Infrastructure for an AI-Driven Economy, featuring experts from IIT Bhubaneswar, NITI Aayog, and the Software Technology Parks of India. This session focused on aligning India’s skilling systems with the demands of an AI-driven economy.
A debate on Benchmarking Odisha’s Insurance Ecosystem examined the potential for the state to become a testing ground for inclusive InsurTech innovation. Other key sessions included discussions on Odisha’s GCC (Global Capability Centres) ecosystem and the future of India’s fintech trajectory in the face of emerging technologies like AI, tokenization, and quantum computing.
James Boey, CEO of GFTN, emphasized that in today’s AI-driven world, the real challenge is not technology replacing jobs, but the risk of those who fail to adapt being left behind. He highlighted that ecosystems developing both technology and talent will lead the future.
The summit also saw the signing of several strategic MoUs with corporate partners, including Bajaj General Insurance, Advanze Tech, and Spice Money. These partnerships will support initiatives like internships, apprenticeships, startup mentorship, and pilot projects, helping to translate training into employment and policy into action. Additionally, ANT International partnered with Odisha’s Mission Shakti to support women entrepreneurs, and the Startup Policy Forum India collaborated with GFTN to connect Indian startups with global markets.
Sopnendu Mohanty, Group CEO of GFTN, stated that Odisha is experiencing a "Black Swan moment" and that through the BharatNetra strategy, the state is transitioning from a mining economy to a "mind economy" focused on innovation, skills, and sustainable job creation.
Looking ahead, Day 2 of the summit will feature the Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu as Chief Guest. Upcoming sessions will explore sector transformation and capital markets for frontier technologies, continuing the momentum toward positioning India and Odisha as leaders in the digital economy.
