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India’s ambassador to the United States, Nirupama Rao, and Gov. Nikki Haley said Wednesday they’re looking for ways to strengthen economic and educational ties between India and South Carolina.
The ambassador’s visit represents “an opportunity to partner with a country that I know continues to be strong in developing new things,” Haley said. “We want to help them and we want them to help us.”
India is interested in “what we do in higher education, what we do in energy, what do in infrastructure as they’re looking to build and make things stronger,” the governor added.
Rao wrapped up her three-day tour of South Carolina Thursday with a trip to the Upstate and visit to the BMW plant. Rao said that so far her visit has been fruitful, and added that she wants to learn how South Carolina uses the colleges to meet the needs of business.
She toured the Port of Charleston on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Rao visited with University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides and today she’ll stop in at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research.
Commonly referred to as CU-ICAR, the center is a campus where academia, industry and government collaborate on technology research.
“We’ve looked at the ways to cement better relationships between India and South Carolina,” Rao said. “There are immense opportunities in South Carolina.”
Future investments from Indian companies could be in the offing, Haley said. India is “looking to do business in South Carolina,” she added.
Haley noted that with a weak dollar, the time is right to invest in the United States. She also touted the state’s business-friendly environment, including its right-to-work status.
Rao agreed that the Palmetto State offered possibilities.
“South Carolina provides a very conducive environment for foreign investment,” she said.
Indian investment could come from businesses involved in food processing, logistics, energy and information technology. About a half-dozen Indian companies do business in South Carolina, Rao said, adding that Indian-based firms operate in 43 states and have more than $26 billion invested.
Rao added that India also is looking for S.C. investments, particularly in the fields of infrastructure and energy.
India ranks No. 7 as a destination for South Carolina exports. In 2010, India bought about $500 million worth of goods from South Carolina manufacturers.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, S.C.-produced goods exported to India range from injection molding machines made by Econocaribe in Charleston to contact lenses produced by Bausch & Lomb in Greenville. In an interesting twist, India imported refrigerators made in Camden at a plant owned by China’s Haier Corp.
Rao’s visit also offered Haley an opportunity to tout her ties to India. Haley is the first Indian-American woman to be elected governor in the United States. Back in India, Rao said, Haley’s victory was widely publicized and is a source of pride among the natives.
http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/news/42930-gov-nikki-haley-seeks-to-bolster-economic-educational-ties-to-india?rss=0
The ambassador’s visit represents “an opportunity to partner with a country that I know continues to be strong in developing new things,” Haley said. “We want to help them and we want them to help us.”
India is interested in “what we do in higher education, what we do in energy, what do in infrastructure as they’re looking to build and make things stronger,” the governor added.
Rao wrapped up her three-day tour of South Carolina Thursday with a trip to the Upstate and visit to the BMW plant. Rao said that so far her visit has been fruitful, and added that she wants to learn how South Carolina uses the colleges to meet the needs of business.
She toured the Port of Charleston on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Rao visited with University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides and today she’ll stop in at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research.
Commonly referred to as CU-ICAR, the center is a campus where academia, industry and government collaborate on technology research.
“We’ve looked at the ways to cement better relationships between India and South Carolina,” Rao said. “There are immense opportunities in South Carolina.”
Future investments from Indian companies could be in the offing, Haley said. India is “looking to do business in South Carolina,” she added.
Haley noted that with a weak dollar, the time is right to invest in the United States. She also touted the state’s business-friendly environment, including its right-to-work status.
Rao agreed that the Palmetto State offered possibilities.
“South Carolina provides a very conducive environment for foreign investment,” she said.
Indian investment could come from businesses involved in food processing, logistics, energy and information technology. About a half-dozen Indian companies do business in South Carolina, Rao said, adding that Indian-based firms operate in 43 states and have more than $26 billion invested.
Rao added that India also is looking for S.C. investments, particularly in the fields of infrastructure and energy.
India ranks No. 7 as a destination for South Carolina exports. In 2010, India bought about $500 million worth of goods from South Carolina manufacturers.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, S.C.-produced goods exported to India range from injection molding machines made by Econocaribe in Charleston to contact lenses produced by Bausch & Lomb in Greenville. In an interesting twist, India imported refrigerators made in Camden at a plant owned by China’s Haier Corp.
Rao’s visit also offered Haley an opportunity to tout her ties to India. Haley is the first Indian-American woman to be elected governor in the United States. Back in India, Rao said, Haley’s victory was widely publicized and is a source of pride among the natives.
http://www.charlestonbusiness.com/news/42930-gov-nikki-haley-seeks-to-bolster-economic-educational-ties-to-india?rss=0
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