Ambassador of India to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers today held a virtual meeting and discussed trade and investment as well as people-to-people relations between Wisconsin and India.
Both discussed strategies to tap the potential in the agriculture, infrastructure and manufacturing sectors common to India and Wisconsin that would lead to win-win outcomes for both. The Ambassador briefed the Governor about the initiatives India has taken in healthcare and education and discussed collaboration in these sectors.
India and Wisconsin share a robust trade and investment relationship. The total trade between India and Wisconsin is over $1 billion. Many Indian companies in the IT, engineering services, medical equipment, and manufacturing sectors have invested in Wisconsin.
These companies have invested close to $185 million in Wisconsin, creating over 2,460 jobs in the state. They also add value to local economies and communities through their CSR initiatives.
Similarly, Wisconsin-based companies in the automobile, electrical equipment, financial services and technology sectors have established a strong presence in India. They include Harley Davidson, Rockwell Automation Inc., ManPower Group and others.
The Indian community has a vibrant presence in Wisconsin, which is also an important destination for Indian students. Close to 1,500 Indian students are studying in educational institutions in Wisconsin.
India has a strong educational connection with Wisconsin. The tradition of Indian studies started on the University of Wisconsin campus in the mid-1880s, when a Professorship of Sanskrit was established.
Renowned bio-chemist Dr. Hargobind Khorana received his Nobel Prize in 1968 for research he conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was on faculty.
The Ambassador underscored the need to revive and strengthen the university-to-university linkages between India and the U.S., including in the fields of R&D and bio-health.
Ambassador Sandhu and Governor Evers agreed to further strengthen the multifaceted engagement between India and the state of Wisconsin.
