Deal addresses USA India Business Summit
Gov. Nathan Deal today made opening remarks at the 2011 USA India Business Summit, hosted at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. Deal joined the Honorable V.S. Senthil, economic minister of the Indian Embassy, as well as other dignitaries and business executives. The two-day conference is designed to promote the bilateral relationship between the United States and India and features business and diplomatic leaders from both nations. Atlanta also hosted the inaugural USA India Business Summit in 2010.
“It is a great honor for Georgia to again host the USA India Business Summit and to show our Southern hospitality to one of our most valued international partners,” Deal said. “Georgia and India enjoy a long-standing partnership, and this conference serves as a great platform to map out mutually beneficial opportunities for the future.”
With the theme of “Growing Business and Promoting Entrepreneurship,” this meeting between representatives of the two nations will highlight the importance of economic partnerships between Georgia, the United States and India. The summit seeks to stimulate global economic renewal, support international economic and financial institutions and promote global food security. It will feature keynote speakers, informative workshops, industry-focused panels, one-on-one networking and CEO council meetings to strengthen the bonds between the economies of the United States and India.
Georgia has a well-established economic relationship with India, one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Georgia is the 10th-largest exporter to India in the United States, with 2010 exports totaling more than $562 million -- a 35 percent increase since 2009. Primary exports to India include paper, wood pulp, aircrafts, chemicals and machinery. The state also ranked sixth in the United States for imports from India, with goods totaling $1 billion -- an increase of 40 percent from 2009. Top imports from India include apparel and clothing, iron and steel and textile articles.
Beyond trade, the economies in Georgia and India are linked through businesses. Thirty Georgia companies host operations in India, and more than 40 Indian companies operate facilities in the state, employing nearly 2,000 Georgians. Georgia is also now home to the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of India, one of more than 80 international trade and consulate offices in Atlanta. The Indian American Cultural Association of Atlanta has also been located in the city for 38 years and works to promote the heritage and culture of India. Additionally, the government of India announced plans earlier this year to open a full-service consulate in Atlanta to foster additional business and cultural opportunities in Georgia and the Southeast.
For additional USA India Business Summit information, visit www.usaindiabusinesssummit.com