Washington, DC

AMERICA PUTS ITS BETS ON INDIA:  The United States Indian American Chamber of Commerce (USIACC) announces its 2006 Annual National Convention, the theme of which is “Promoting Trade and Investment between India and the United States.” The Convention will be to be held on October 11 and 12 in the conference facilities of US federal (central) Government buildings in Washington, DC.  Prominent US and Indian government officials and business leaders are expected to be part of the 500-plus attendees.
 
USIACC National Chairman, KV Kumar stated that Mr. Frederick W. Schoenhut, Chairman of New York Board of Trade will be the Convention Chairman.   Mr. Kandy Anand, Vice President of The Coca Cola Company and Mr. Bharat Bhargava, National President of USIACC will serve as Co-Chairs. Mr. V. Gopal Krishnan, Resident Director of USIACC, India will be the principal liaison from India for the USIACC Convention.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, with offices in New York, Maryland, Virginia, Nevada, California, Arizona and Georgia, USIACC is engaged in fostering the enabling environment for Indian American businesses, and in strengthening the ability of these businesses to benefit from the emerging opportunities.

“We have chosen Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to announce this year’s convention because of the strategic role India plays in the trade and investment relations between India and United States, in which Indian Americans and all American businesses have been playing an important role in India”, added National Chairman of USIACC, KV Kumar, who is traveling to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore with Mr. Bharat Bhargava, National President of USIACC, and Ms. Yognidra Bhargava, Member of the USIACC Executive Board and Chair, USIACC Women’s Wing.

Mr. Kumar, President of Business & Strategic Consultants International, Inc., a management consulting company with operations in Maryland and Arizona. Mr. Kumar also serves as a Member of the National Advisory Council of the US Small Business Administration. Mr. Bhargava is the President of Bankworld Inc., a metropolitan Washington, DC-based management consulting company.

“Whether it is from New York to New Delhi or from Boston to Bangalore, business and political leaders have eye on India.  In these unprecedented times in the history of Indo-US relations, the Chamber hopes to be able to serve the business community toward fostering trade and investment,” said Mr. Bharat Bhargava.

“We are proud of the increasing role of Indian women in business and the Chamber is assisting them in reaching new heights,” said Ms. Yognidra Bhargava, herself President of Saha Enterprises, a US-based export and import firm.

USIACC opened its main India office in Bangalore today and Mr.V. Gopal Krishnan, Managing Director of Ninestars Technology, Ltd., will be the USIACC Resident Director for India “This is a significant milestone for the Chamber toward building closer relationship between the Indian businesses and US businesses, and toward accelerating trade and investment between the two countries,” added Mr. Kumar.

The USIACC held its first annual convention in Washington, DC on October 11-12, 2005. The convention was a grand success. Highest level of government and business officials, and VIP’s from both USA and India converged on the convention floor of the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel.  They included India’s Ambassador to the US, Ronen Sen, SBA Administrator Hector Barreto, US GSA Administrator Stephen A. Perry, and Ambassador Raminder S. Jassal, Deputy of Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Al Frink, Assistant Secretary, US Department of Commerce, Vernon Parker, Assistant Secretary, USDA, and Theresa Speake, Director of Office of Economic Impact & Diversity, US Department of Energy.  The two-day convention and business extravaganza started out with a briefing at the White House and covered wide range of topics, such as energy, international trade and commerce; transportation, aviation and tourism; and banking, finance and investment opportunities; as well as a women in business forum and a youth forum.  US federal (central) government officials offered coveted advice on how to win lucrative government contracts.  The convention was a major step for the Chamber toward achieving its objective of bringing Indian and American SME’s together with US and Indian governments.

The Chamber was launched on September 22, 2004 on the trading floor of the New York Board of Trade, by the Honorable Hector Barreto, Administrator, US Small Business Administration.  Since its launch, USIACC has made remarkable progress by participating in and sponsoring a number national events both in India and the US, and starting chapters and affiliate offices in Washington, DC, Arizona, Maryland, Virginia, New York, Nevada, Georgia and California. 

USIACC has signed memorandum of understanding with US Small Business Administration, US Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Interior, Environmental Protection Agency and the Indian Merchants’ Chamber in Mumbai, India.

Last week, USIACC and ASSOCHAM signed a MoU at ASSOCHAM House in New Delhi with an understanding to have more structured and cooperative efforts, thus bringing the governments and the businesses in both the countries closer. 

Also, last week USIACC National Chairman, President and Chair of the USIACC Women’s Wing met with central Cabinet Ministers and Senior Government Officials in New Delhi to both invite them to attend the Convention in October, but also to understand and discuss the issues of importance to both India and the United States of America. This was done in part to find ways and means of bringing incremental value on investments between the two of the world’s largest democracies. In addition, Press Conferences were held in New Delhi and Mumbai which was well attended by both print and electronic media. In Mumbai, Door Darshan invited Mr. Kumar and Mr. Bhargava for a live interview on their television “Business News”, which was nationally televised on live show.

The first to become USIACC’s corporate partners were the New York Board of Trade, Standards & Poor’s, Coca Cola Co., Housing Development Finance Corporation, Air India, Hindtron, PAETEC Communications, MITEL, Atlantic Inc., among others.
 
Media Contact in India:
Ms. Deepali Prabhu
USIACC’s India Main Office in Bangalore:
Tel: +91 80-4112-1123 / 46