Uttar Pradesh ‘beckons’ Indian-Americans to invest in the state

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The Indian Consulate in New York, hosted a meeting December 12, 2022, of a high-powered delegation from Uttar Pradesh led by its Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, to engage Indian-American entrepreneurs interested in the potential of the largest state in India.

“#UttarPradesh Beckons! Delighted to host interaction of #UttarPradesh delegation led by Hon’ble Finance Minister Suresh Khanna with diaspora. Limitless potential & business opportunities in UP for investors & industries. He invited diaspora members for #UPGIS2023 to be part of growth story of New India’s growth engine,” said the Indian Consulate on its Facebook page, India In New York.

Scores of Indian-Americans attended the meeting where Khanna as well as other members of the Indian delegation which included UP Cabinet member and BJP spokesperson Sidharth Nath Singh, also spoke.

Consul General Randhir Jaiswal welcomed the delegation and noted that the Indian-American diaspora has been the champion of India-U.S. friendship and ties. “And we want to speak to the diaspora so that they can take the story of Uttar Pradesh to the community, to their friends and be champions of development and transformation that is happening in India and that is happening in the state of Uttar Pradesh,” Jaiswal said.

In his speech to the gathering, Khanna noted that the delegation had come to New York via London, and touches San Francisco before returning to India. “We are here to invite members of the diaspora. Uttar Pradesh has a dedicated and strong leadership, world class infrastructure, and very good connectivity, a very congenial atmosphere, and zero tolerance toward crime and corruption,” Khanna said. He spoke of the investments made in the state to make it business-friendly, and noted that it plays a key role in the Indian economy, contributing 8 percent to the national GDP. Uttar Pradesh, he said, is determined to achieve a goal of $1 trillion. He also said that the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has provided the rule of law, made basic amenities available, and alongside sped up the wheels of development.

The mission of growth has brought the delegation on its tour with the “goal being to invite investors and facilitate them in every way so that they can invest in Uttar Pradesh,” and make it grow, Khanna said.

India’s Deputy Consul General in New York Varun Jeph, thanked the Indian delegation for providing “indepth insight” into the policy initiatives taken by Uttar Pradesh, and the “remarkable socio-economic development and fast-paced industrialization that the state has seen,” under the leadership of Chief Minister Adityanath.

Jeph thanked those attending the event. “Many of you have made a mark” in business and entrepreneurship. And Uttar Pradesh offers enormous opportunities cutting across sectors for you to invest in, for you to engage in, for you to take your American friends to India,” to explore the opportunities in the fastest growing economy in the world, Jeph noted.

Dr. Sudhir Parikh, chairman of his Center for Asthma & Allergies and chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media/ITV Gold, said in an interview to ITV Gold during the meeting at the Indian Consulate, “All NRIs here are very interested in investing in India in different sectors. I, being in the medical sector, would suggest mainly that all these teaching institutes like Columbia, NYU, and Cornell, are interested in developing a tertiary center in Uttar Pradesh.”

Parikh also said “A lot of companies (in US) want to start generic manufacturing in India, which is very easy to do and very inexpensive way to do it. Also, we are all researchers, including my practise, and we are very interested in doing Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies before a drug comes out in India. So we hope the Government of Uttar Pradesh will give us a good facility, less red tape and ease of doing business.”

Parikh wished the Indian delegation all success, “And request him (Finance Minister Khanna) to let us know what we can do for our Motherland.”