Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Greg Abbott held meetings with economic development partners and business leaders in Mumbai, India, discussing issues and industries critical to Texas and India including the future of technology. 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, along with members of the Texas delegation, this is the first stop in the economic development mission led by the Governor.
“Texas is a hub of innovation and technology, and companies from all over the world—including India—continue to choose our state because of the unmatched opportunity for business success that our state has to offer,” said Governor Abbott. “Both the people of Texas and India seek to drive the future of the world through innovation, economic might, and expanded prosperity for the next generation. By meeting with these corporate leaders in Mumbai today, Texas is strengthening our relationship with India so that we can ensure greater prosperity for the next generation.”
Mumbai Day One Mission Recap:
Governor Abbott and the Texas delegation first met with Infosys Executive Vice President Head of Americas Rajesh Varrier and other Infosys executives, where they engaged in high-level discussions about Texas’ ongoing partnership with the company to expand their presence in the Lone Star State and outlined progress made since the Governor’s last visit to the company’s headquarters in 2018. During the meeting, the Governor highlighted Texas’ position as a global and national leader in the tech industry. The Governor also emphasized the state’s world-class business climate and growing, diverse workforce, making it the ideal location for companies from around the world to expand and invest.
Governor Abbott and the Texas delegation then met with PMS Prasad and other senior executives from Reliance Industries to discuss continued economic collaboration between Texas and Reliance. During the meeting, the Governor highlighted the importance of strengthening trade in oil and liquified natural gas (LNG) between India and the United States. Governor Abbott extended his support for a stronger energy partnership with Reliance, pointing to Texas’ position as the energy capital of America. PMS Prasad and Reliance executives noted that, by expanding Reliance’s Energy Trading Company in Houston, the company could strengthen its sourcing of oil, liquified ethane, and LNG from Texas. The Governor and Reliance also discussed expanding cooperation across various sectors of Reliance Industries, including new energy, telecommunications, and technology, pointing to Reliance’s large technology footprint in the United States through its Texas-based subsidiary, Radisys.
Next, Governor Abbott joined executives from the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) at the historic Bombay House, the company’s official headquarters, for a luncheon and tour of the facility. At the luncheon, Governor Abbott, Tata Sons Chairman of the Board Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the Texas delegation, and other TCS executives explored opportunities to bolster the company’s expanding presence in the state’s growing manufacturing, aerospace, IT, and technology industries. Governor Abbott highlighted the state’s efforts to prepare the next generation of Texans for emerging technology and the careers of tomorrow, noting TCS’ investment in a first-of-its-kind, multi-million-dollar initiative to leverage computational thinking in K-12 schools in Texas.
Later in the afternoon, Governor Abbott and the Texas delegation held an economic development meeting with Wipro Chairman Azim Premji and other Wipro executives. Governor Abbott and the Wipro executives shared their mutual interests in partnering to leverage the state’s leadership in knowledge-based industries, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and cloud technology. They also discussed their dedication to promote more opportunities for students to jumpstart careers in technology, including providing STEM education that helps prepare the next generation to meet the needs of the Texas of tomorrow. During his last economic development trip to India, the Governor joined Wipro executives to announce the company’s new Texas Technology Center in Plano.
In the evening, Governor Abbott and the Texas delegation attended a dinner with Bollywood film industry leaders, including singer and actor Talat Aziz, and featuring performances by Bollywood dancers. During the dinner, Governor Abbott touted Texas’ thriving film industry and noted how Texans and the Indian people both share a strong sense of pride in showing off their respective cultural heritage through film.
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 U.S. In the last decade, companies from India have 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 totaled $20.4 billion, making India the state’s 11th-largest total trade partner. That same year, Texas exports to India totaled $13.3 billion. Texas exports account for 28 percent of all U.S. exports to India.
The trip is sponsored and paid for by the Texas Economic Development Corporation, an independently funded and operated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization responsible for marketing and promoting Texas as a premier business location. Along with the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism, these two organizations make up the cornerstone of Governor Abbott’s economic development agenda to build the Texas of tomorrow.
