Gov. Greg Abbott has concluded his 10-day economic development mission to India to strengthen the ongoing partnership between the two economic powerhouses.
Joining Abbott on his scheduled trip to India was First Lady Cecilia Abbott; Secretary of State Jane Nelson; Adriana Cruz, executive director of the Economic Development & Tourism Office; Arun Agarwal, vice chair of the Texas Economic Development Corporation (EDC); and Aaron Demerson, president and CEO of the Texas EDC, among others.
The Texas delegation represented more than 16 companies, communities, and economic development organizations across the state. Besides strengthening the unique partnership, the delegation aimed to explore Texas’ potential for expanding critical industry and trade partnerships with India.
“Texas is a hub of innovation and technology, and companies from all over the world — including India — continue to choose our state because of the unmatched opportunity for business success that our state has to offer,” Abbott said in a news release at the start of his visit.
“Both the people of Texas and India seek to drive the future of the world through innovation, economic might, and expanded prosperity for the next generation,” he detailed.
Abbott’s trip lasted from January 19 to January 28 and included numerous meetings with government officials, company executives, and business leaders.
For instance, Abbott and his delegation met with prominent energy, manufacturing, and technology leaders in Mumbai at the beginning of the trip and then young business leaders and the U.S. Commercial Service in New Delhi near the end.
During a keynote address on Friday, Abbott championed the ongoing partnership between Texas and India by highlighting the many similarities that make both places prosperous.
“Texas and India are two places — and two people — who both share an independent streak and a desire to make our mark on the world,” said Abbott. “Each of us sits in a critical location — India, with China and Russia on their doorsteps, and Texas at the nexus of the United States and Latin America. We share the common values of family, faith, compassion, and hard work.”
“As we look towards the future, we must ensure that the next generation of leaders in Texas and India will be the innovators who solve the world’s foremost crises and that embracing the values we share leads to liberty and prosperity unmatched throughout the entire world,” he added.
In terms of foreign investments, India ranks ninth among all nations for the number of foreign direct investment projects in Texas, according to industry estimates, as reported by the governor’s office.
Companies in India have invested $1.4 billion in capital investment through 59 projects in Texas, which has led to more than 10,300 jobs over the last decade.
Texas’ total trade value with India totaled $20.4 billion, making India the state’s 11th-largest total trade partner in 2022. That same year, Texas exports to India totaled $13.3 billion, representing 28% of all U.S. exports to India.
