HOUSTON, Apr 19: A high-profile trade and investment mission led by Houston Mayor will be in India this week to boost bilateral trade relations and joint investment initiatives in sectors including energy and civil aviation.
The 30-member delegation, who will be in India for a week beginning tomorrow, will meet the US Ambassador to India Richard Verma; Ministers of Civil Aviation, Petroleum and National Gas and Human Resource Development; Construction Industry Council; and GAIL Limited, among other engagements.
Besides the Houston Mayor Annise D Parker, the delegation includes city leaders, Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) officials, Houston Airport System, Texas Medical Center, Port of Houston, Indian American Chamber of Commerce (IACCGH) and Indian-American business representatives.
The mission will focus on increasing trade and investment between Houston and India, in a range of sectors including energy, civil aviation, manufacturing, engineering, infrastructure, skills and human resource development, healthcare, transportation and oil and gas.
“We share strong business, trade and cultural ties. I see much potential for increased economic activity between Houston and India and look forward to helping make those connections,” Parker said, adding that more than 694 Houston companies report business and trade ties with India.
She noted that the Houston-Galveston Customs District is the third busiest gateway for US-Indian trade by sea and air. Exports to India totalled USD 1.5 billion in 2014 while imports from the country totalled USD 3.2 billion in 2014.
“Mayor Parker had long expressed her determination to lead a trade delegation to India for leveraging the deep synergies and substantive economic relationships between Houston and India,” Consul General Parvathaneni Harish, who helped arrange the visit, told PTI.
A component of the Trade Mission would also be visiting and exploring trade and investment opportunities with the state government of Andhra Pradesh, he said.
“The visit is an important milestone and will see Texas and Houston emerge as an important lynchpin in the strengthening bilateral economic engagement,” he added.
The mission will build on existing relationships to secure inbound investment in Houston and open up opportunities for Houston businesses to participate in the record setting growth rate of the Indian GDP, according to Ashok Garg, President, IACCGH.
“We expect huge gains in the areas of education and infrastructure combined with the growing purchasing power of the fast growing Indian middle class.
“From oil and gas to nuclear energy, healthcare to educational institutions, Houston has a lot to offer and we will play a significant part in helping partnerships develop in these areas by bringing together thought leaders from both countries and create opportunities for long-term strategic discussions,” he said. (PTI)
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