Bhubaneswar: The prospect of rapid expansion in the aluminium sector in Odisha, especially in the upcoming Angul Aluminium Park, has attracted the attention of the visiting delegation from Italy to set the platform for investment and collaboration with its counterparts in Odisha and India.

The Aluminium Association of India held the Indo-Italian Metal Hub seminar here, in which the Italian team, led by the Consul General of Italy, Italian Aluminium Association members, CEOs and senior executives of different Italian organisations and the Indian team, led by Nalco, Odisha government, businesses and government agencies and associations of Indian and Italian industry were involved.

Italian Consul General Damiano Francovigh stressed on the improvement of bilateral ties.

"Strengthening economic cooperation between India and eastern India will go a long way in improving relations between Italy and India. The Indo-Italian Metal Hub seminar is also an effort in that direction," he said.

The state's industries minister Niranjan Pujari said: "Odisha offers the perfect ecosystem to be an aluminium hub and we are committed to forge a strong economic tie with Italy. Molten aluminium can be directly obtained from Nalco when the Angul Aluminium Park becomes operational."

The seminar was preceded by a site visit to the proposed Angul Aluminium Park on Friday.

Industries secretary Sanjeev Chopra said: "This visit by the Italian delegation has come at a very opportune moment as the future looks bright for investors looking at investing in the aluminium sector in Odisha. The potential for collaboration is immense. The response to the aluminium park is unprecedented and will become a major centre in the world for aluminium downstream activities. The park will rival the best in the world and Nalco will be there to provide concessions and hand-holding support to interested organisations.''

Nalco executive director S.K. Dash said: "We welcome the visiting delegation and are ready to walk the extra mile to make the Angul Aluminium Park an attractive investment destination for businesses."