A delegation of state officials and business leaders from the US state of Connecticut, including Governor Ned Lamont, is on an economic visit to India from Monday, February 24, to March 1. The delegation will travel to Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mumbai and meet with executives of Indian companies and key government officials to build stronger economic ties between Connecticut and India.
The delegation includes the Governor, Connecticut Economic and Community Development Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe; former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, and executives from Advance Connecticut, the state’s business development organization, among others.
“A commercial mission to India has been on our radar for some time, and we are continuing to build and strengthen Connecticut’s relationships with the world. India is an important market for us, not only because of our business ties, but also our cultural ties,” Governor Ned Lamont told businessline in an email interaction. “We have selected Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai because of the relationships we have in those cities and because we are meeting with companies based in those cities who have expressed interest in expanding their operations in North America,” he added. While Nooyi is a Connecticut resident and a friend of Governor Lamont, Infosys CEO Salil Parekh is on the board of directors of Advance Connecticut.
As for what’s on the agenda, he explained that at Chennai, the focus is on technology and start-ups with Connecticut Innovations (CI), the state’s $500 million venture capital arm set to hold its international pitch event here at IIT-M Research Park. They will also meet with state IT minister Dr Palanivel Thiagarajan. In Bengaluru, they will meet with various technology companies and spend time on the Infosys campus. In Mumbai, the delegation will catch up with companies already operating in the US state.
Speaking about the impact of the new US government’s reciprocal tariffs on bilateral trade, the Governor said he expects this subject to come up during the visit. “But I think the situation is still very fluid. Most of the tariff topics are handled at a federal level, so like everyone else, we are monitoring the situation and waiting for definitive answers, but that won’t change the strong and supportive economic environment we’ve built to attract them to our state,” he said.
Connecticut-headquartered companies with operations in India include Amphenol, Stanley Black & Decker, and others. Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services are among Indian companies that are already operating in the US state.
As per the Governor, Connecticut’s position on the eastern seaboard makes it an excellent place for Indian companies to set up their North American headquarters. “From Connecticut, companies also have quick and easy access to the major metros of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Montreal and Toronto,” he said.
India-born residents in Connecticut make up 14% (38,000) of the state’s foreign-born population. Of the 19,990 international students studying in Connecticut, 7,200 are from India, making it the top country of origin of international students in the state. Approximately 36.5 per cent of international students in Connecticut are from India, compared to 29.4 per cent nationally.