How New Delhi Spent Over 1 bn in Texas? Governor Abbott Highlights Growing Ties With India

New Delhi – As India continues to bolster ties with state of Texas, Goverr Greg Abbott who is visiting country hailed strong ties between two parties. While addressing 7th India-US Forum hosted by Ministry of External Affairs and Ananta Centre in New Delhi, India, American goverr mentioned that two places share an “independent streak”. Texas goverr commenced his trip to India on Friday where he met with country's government and techlogy leaders. trip came amid brewing tensions between Biden administration and state of Texas over migration crisis. 

“Texas and India are two places—and two people—who both share an independent streak and a desire to make our mark on world,” said Goverr Abbott at India-US forum. “Each of us sits in a critical location—India, with China and Russia on ir doorsteps, and Texas at nexus of United States and Latin America. We share common values of family, faith, compassion, and hard work. As we look towards future, we must ensure that next generation of leaders in Texas and India will be invators who solve world’s foremost crises and that embracing values we share leads to liberty and prosperity unmatched throughout entire world," he added. goverr's proclamation came after he held talks with External Affairs Minister of India Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. two world leaders discussed ways in which two nations can continue to bolster ir bilateral ties. 

What makes Texas so important?

Texan ecomy t only contributed significantly to American ecomy but also stands tall if compared with ecomies around world. In year 2022, Texas was officially declared as 8th largest ecomy in world. At that time state's ecomy was valued at more than $2.4 trillion. (IMF GDP 2022) making Texan ecomy bigger than countries like Canada, South Korea, Russia and Australia. t only this, but with se foreign visits Abbott is also trying to mould himself as a global leader as his visit to India came after his trip to Israel which is already embroiled in ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Abbott's trip to India actually did t come out of pockets of Biden administration but was fully paid for by Texas Ecomic Development Corporation, an independently funded and operated 501(c)(3) nprofit organization responsible for marketing and promoting Texas as a premier business location.

India's billion-dollar investment in Texas

It is important to te that in last decade companies from India have invested $1.4 billion in capital investments in Texas. investment includes Indian firms funding 59 projects in Sourn American state and creating more than 10,300 jobs, per goverr's office, Axios reported. During former US President Donald Trump's tenure, Texas gained a particular appeal for Indians. This appeal can be detected by Trump's administration's decision to conduct “Howdy Modi” in Huston in 2019. 

According to official website of Texas government, India is ninth among all nations when it comes to initiating foreign direct investment projects in Texas. Texas is still touted as most popular destination for Indian FDI capital investment and jobs created in United States.  While India is state's 11th-largest total trade partner of Texas, state's exports to country have totalled to whopping $13.3 billion.