Benchmarking Odisha's insurance ecosystem: A Debate on the Feasibility of Odisha becoming India’s National Testbed of Innovation and Leading Global Capability Centre for the InsurTech and Insurance industry by 2030

India's "Insurance for All by 2047" vision requires solving deep structural problems in distribution, trust, and accessibility, especially for MSMEs, informal workers, and low-income households. Odisha, with its significant protection gaps yet growing digital infrastructure, presents itself as a potential testing ground. How can it become a national innovation leader in Insurance and InsurTech?This session brings together insurers, and InsurTech leaders to debate Odisha's readiness across critical dimensions: market maturity, infrastructure, talent availability, regulatory support, and commercial viability. Proponents will argue for Odisha's unique advantages as a testbed - demographic diversity, government backing, and cost competitiveness. Skeptics will challenge whether the state can realistically build the ecosystem, talent pipeline, and market conditions needed to attract and sustain InsurTech innovation at scale.
Key Questions for Debate:
- Does Odisha's current low penetration make it ideal for experimentation - or a premature choice for a national hub?
- Can digital public infrastructure and connectivity support a concentrated InsurTech cluster by 2030?
- Is the specialized talent pool available, or can it be developed fast enough?
- What regulatory sandboxes and policy interventions are needed and are they feasible?
- Can private players achieve sustainable unit economics in Odisha's market? How can private-public partnership help?
- How does Odisha differentiate itself from established hubs like Bangalore or Hyderabad and compete globally?

The debate will be data-driven and outcome-focused, concluding with clear identification of the critical success factors and potential deal-breakers that will determine if Odisha's 2030 vision is realistic or needs a different strategy.