Bhubaneswar Hosts "Purvodaya Perspectives 2025" to Strengthen Strategic Ties Between Eastern India and Southeast Asia

BHUBANESWAR – As strategic competition intensifies in the Bay of Bengal, The Energy Forum (TEF) has launched Purvodaya Perspectives 2025, a high-level conference dedicated to transforming India's eastern states from a domestic resource hub into a transnational maritime gateway.
Held December 13-14 at the Swosti Hotel, the conference addresses the geopolitical reality that one-fourth of the world's maritime trade flows through the Bay of Bengal and Malacca Strait. The event underscores the Indian government’s shift from the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision to a broader MAHASAGAR maritime framework.
Strategic Pivot:
Originally launched in 2020 by Hon’ble Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan with a focus on steel and industrial hubs, the Purvodaya mission has evolved. The 2025 agenda, backed by recent infrastructure budgets from Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, prioritizes physical integration with Southeast Asia through critical projects like the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.
Conference Agenda Highlights:
Countering Regional Competition: addressing China’s expanding presence in Myanmar and strengthening cooperation through BIMSTEC and ASEAN platforms.
Economic Corridors: Integrating regional value chains to link Eastern India’s manufacturing potential with Southeast Asian markets.
Maritime Security: Enhancing undersea domain awareness and hydrography in the Bay of Bengal.
"The conference aims to answer how the Bay of Bengal can become a strategic focal point for India’s maritime trade and regional influence," said a TEF representative.