Regional Chamber Explores Business Opportunities in India

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber says it expects business opportunities in India to develop for local companies following this week’s meeting with trade representatives from the nation of India.

Chamber CEO Tom Humphries and its vice president of economic development, Sarah Boyarko, joined northeast Ohio business leaders for discussions with India Consul General Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay and Deputy Consul General Manoj Kumar Mohapatra.

The Indian officials provided updates on the latest opportunities for U.S. companies interested in investing or doing business with India. The meeting took place Wednesday at Ariel International Center in downtown Cleveland.

“The new prime minister of India [Narendra Modi] is pro-business, so the opportunity is upon us to attract companies willing to make substantial investments in the Valley and bring high-paying jobs into our region,” Humphries said in a statement released Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Commerce now ranks India as the fourth-fastest growing source of foreign direct investment in the United States, the chamber noted.

India’s largest company, Tata, operates Thomas Steel in Warren, and subsidiary Tata Advanced Systems builds parts in India for the C130 transport planes, which are used by the Youngstown Air Reserve Station. There are efforts in Washington manufacture C130 replacement parts in the U.S.

“I’m excited at the prospects for our local businesses to increase exports to India,” Boyarko said. “This aligns nicely with our regional effort surrounding the OH-PA Stateline Export Initiative.”

The OH-PA Stateline Export Initiative was launched earlier this year. The Regional Chamber and the International Trade Assistance Center at Youngstown State University joined forces with eight other economic development agencies in 10 northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania counties to create a worldwide trade strategy.

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