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Gov. Kim Reynolds kicks off India trade mission with keynote address in Delhi

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Gov. Kim Reynolds kicks off India trade mission with keynote address in Delhi

Sep 12, 2024 | 5:11 pm ET
By Robin Opsahl
Gov. Kim Reynolds kicks off India trade mission with keynote address in Delhi
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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds gave a keynote address to the U.S.-India Business Council’s India Ideas Summit in Delhi, India Sep. 12, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Iowa governor's office)

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds gave a keynote address at the U.S.-India Business Council’s India Ideas Summit Delhi Thursday as part of her trade mission to India.

Reynolds, alongside state Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and a delegation of agricultural and business leaders, traveled to India for a 10-day trade mission organized by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service. The mission is focused on ways Iowa can collaborate with the country through international trade, according to a news release from the governor’s office, especially in the sectors of agriculture, biotech, manufacturing and insurance.

In the address Reynolds gave at the India Ideas Summit, the governor told Indian and American business and government leaders that she wanted Iowa to play a “leading role” in growing partnerships between the U.S. and India.

“Iowa is a place where families thrive, businesses grow, and government is responsive to the needs of our industries,” Reynolds said. “Yet, at the same time, we also know our state is at its strongest when we forge long-term, global relationships.”

The summit was one of the first stops on the Iowa leaders’ trip to the country. Other planned stops include a visit to the Seghal Foundation, a charity organization with a location in Des Moines, that focuses on sustainable agriculture and clean water work, as well as education for women and girls in rural India.

Reynolds also plans to host two Iowa-India Trade and Investment events in Delhi and Mumbai with her delegation to meet with business leaders, U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate, Indian government officials, and key business leaders.

“With India’s tremendous growth and massive consumer market, this trade mission is an excellent opportunity to promote Iowa as an investment destination for Indian companies — particularly those in advanced manufacturing, biotech, finance, and insurance — and a strong trade partner in agricultural exports,” Reynolds said in a statement.