Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards enhancing Odisha’s global connectivity, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today flagged off the first direct international flight from Bhubaneswar to Abu Dhabi. The service, operated by IndiGo, was launched from the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar.

The CM flagged it off at 9:35 AM. The flight will reach Abu Dhabi at 12:35 PM. On the return journey, it will depart Abu Dhabi at 2:35 AM and arrive in Bhubaneswar at 8:35 AM.

The flight will operate thrice a week—on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays—connecting the state capital directly to Abu Dhabi.

The initiative under the B-MAAN scheme is being hailed as a gateway to the Middle East, boosting international connectivity from Odisha. This new route is expected to enhance opportunities for trade, tourism, cultural exchange, and investment.

The air connectivity push under B-MAAN has already seen flight links from Bhubaneswar to Goa, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Hindon, Port Blair, and Dehradun. Additionally, flights from Jharsuguda now connect to Hyderabad, Raipur, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Indore.