New Delhi: Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who is on a visit to India, on Saturday championed the strong Texas-India economic partnership during the keynote address at the 7th India-US Forum hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs and Ananta Centre in New Delhi. His visit to New Delhi comes at a time when his government is not on good terms with the Biden administration over illegal immigration along the US-Mexico border.
Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar met the Texas Governor and said that he was impressed by his commitment and energy for stronger India-US ties and appreciated the contribution of Texas to the growth of the relationship. After the meeting, Jaishankar, in a tweet, said, "Delighted to meet Governor @GregAbbott_TX of Texas. Impressed by his commitment and energy for stronger India-US ties. Appreciate the contribution of Texas to the growth of the relationship. Confident that his mission to India will be successful."
“Texas and India are two places, which share an independent streak and a desire to make a mark in the world,” said Governor Abbott. He said, “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 world," he pointed out.
During the keynote address, the Governor championed the booming Texas economy and highlighted the growing trade between Texas and India. The Governor discussed the historic capital investment by Indian companies, mentioning that over the last decade, they have invested over $1.4 billion in capital through 59 projects, creating more than 10,300 good-paying jobs in Texas.
Governor Abbott also noted that cities across the state benefit from capital investments made by Indian companies. Additionally, the Governor touted that over 5,42,000 Indian Americans call Texas home. During the meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar, Governor Abbott touted Texas’ robust energy industry, noting that an all-of-the-above energy strategy is critical for Texas to remain the energy capital of the world.
Governor Abbott and Minister Jaishankar also explored ways to grow India’s semiconductor industry, with the Governor championing Texas as the top state for semiconductor manufacturing in the United States. Additionally, the Governor pointed to the state's robust aerospace industry, with organisations and companies like NASA, Space X and Blue Origin having offices and facilities in Texas and discussed ways Texas and India can collaborate on the next frontier.
Joined by First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Secretary of State Jane Nelson, the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office Executive Director Adriana Cruz, Texas Economic Development Corporation Vice Chair Arun Agarwal and Texas Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Aaron Demerson, this is the last stop in the economic development mission led by Governor Abbott.
India is ninth among all nations for the number of foreign direct investment projects in Texas. According to Indian industry estimates, Texas is the most popular destination for Indian FDI capital investment and jobs created in the US. It is noteworthy that in the last decade, companies from India invested $1.4 billion in capital investment through 59 projects in Texas, creating more than 10,300 jobs. In 2022, Texas’ total trade with India totalled $20.4 billion, making India the state’s 11th-largest total trade partner. The same year, Texas exports to India totalled $13.3 billion. Texas exports account for 28 per cent of all the US exports to India.
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