Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after reaching Houston for the mega diaspora event Hody Modi, attended a roundtable conference with oil companies at Hotel Post Oak. 

Attended by CEOs of 17 companies

According to sources, the roundtable saw participation from the CEOs of 17 global energy companies that have made their mark in about 150 countries and run with a net worth of US$1 Trillion. The meeting that was PM Modi’s first engagement after his touchdown in the United States was held with the objective of deepening our energy cooperation as part of our strategic energy partnership.

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Sources have mentioned that during the meeting, the CEOs talked to the Prime Minister about enhancing their footprint in India. They also lauded government efforts towards Ease of Doing Business, steps taken towards deregulation in the sector, supported reforms and policies and were upbeat on the Indian economy. Additionally, they were also thankful to the Indian government for support and facilitation.

On the sidelines, an MoU was signed between Tellurian, a Houston based energy major and Petronet LNG. Sources suggest that Petronet will invest $2.5 billion in Tellurian's proposed Driftwood LNG export terminal, in exchange for the rights to 5 million metric tons of LNG per year over 40 years.

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Howdy Modi just few hours away

For the uninitiated, PM Modi is in Houston for Howdy Modi, which is one of the major events that PM Modi is going to speak at. About 50,000 people are expected to attend the event. The event that is being hosted by the Texas India Forum is scheduled to take place on September 22 has been creating waves of energy and enthusiasm in the US since weeks now.

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On a related note, the term 'Howdy' is commonly used in the southwestern United States and is a shorthand for 'How do you do?' The event which will see a 90-minute cultural extravaganza - 'Woven: The Indian-American Story' - that will feature 400 artists and community members from Texas and across the US will be followed by PM Modi's address to the gathering.

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