Washington DC – A delegation of Gujurat government officials and business leaders encouraged their US counterparts to invest in their state last week during a three day visit to the US East Coast. The delegation traveled to New York and Washington, DC and focused on improving trade ties in the areas of energy, finance, pharmaceuticals and education.
The delegation included 17 members from both the government and private sector and was led by D.J. Pandian, the Principal Secretary in the Energy and Petrochemicals Department of the government of Gujarat. They were hosted by the US India Business Council (USIBC), the official partner organization of the 2013 Vibrant Gujurat Summit.
In the delegation’s first stop of New York, the USIBC and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) hosted a luncheon entitled “Opportunities to Invest in Gujarat,” in which the government advertised Gujarat’s strong economy and willingness to receive foreign investment. “We welcome American companies and business community to forge partnerships and collaborate across energy, research and development, education, rural development and urban infrastructure focus sectors and contribute to the peace, prosperity and economy of the people and the state,” Pandian said.
A second meeting with business leaders was held in DC, again sponsored by the USIBC. The delegation received a positive reaction in both cities it visited, with investors complimenting its business-centered economic policy. “Our companies are enthusiastic about the investment opportunities in Gujarat. The progressive, investor-friendly environment was made apparent by the delegation,” Diane Farrell, Senior Director and Executive Vice President of USIBC, said.
The delegation also participated in a roundtable discussion on education at the Institute of International Education’s Center for International Partnership in New York. Later, they met with Indian Ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao, who was in DC to discuss trade relations between Gujarat and the US. They then held a roundtable at the Chamber of Commerce to discuss the topic of liquified natural gas (LNG) transfers from the US to Gujarat.
The trip was part of an outreach campaign in anticipation of the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit from January 11-13 next year, with the delegation inviting all business leaders and academic officials it met to participate in the summit. The business summit is billed as “Asia’s premier investment and knowledge-sharing summit” by the government, and seeks to encourage foreign investment in Gujarat.
From the US the group traveled to Canada, where it stayed until July 17. The government plans to send delegations to countries across five continents in the coming months, including a trip to the West Coast of the US in late September. (IATNS)