New Jersey-India Commission set up, move aimed at strengthening relationships
By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Feb 21, 2024, 7:31 AM ISTNew Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed an executive order establishing the New Jersey-India Commission to enhance bilateral relations between the two regions. The commission aims to promote investment, trade, and cultural exchanges, with a focus on strengthening economic ties and fostering collaboration
In a significant move aimed at bolstering bilateral ties between New Jersey and India, Governor Phil Murphy has signed an executive order to create the New Jersey-India Commission. The commission's primary objective is to foster investment, trade, and cultural exchanges between the two regions, marking a pivotal step in enhancing relations with the world's largest democracy.
Shortly after signing the executive order, Governor Murphy announced the appointment of nearly 40 members to the commission, with veteran US ambassador Wesley Mathews appointed as its leader. Emphasizing the importance of the commission, Murphy expressed his commitment to strengthening the cultural and economic bonds between New Jersey and India for future generations.
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Governor Murphy said, "I am honoured to establish the New Jersey-India Commission to strengthen the cultural and economic ties between New Jersey and India for generations to come. Following my visit to India in 2019, we have been committed to strengthening our relationship, building on the overlapping economic strengths that New Jersey and India have long shared. We take immense pride in the contributions of our vast Indian immigrant population and, through this commission, we can ensure that we seize a new century of opportunities to grow together and pioneer new possibilities.”
With a significant Indian immigrant population in New Jersey, the commission aims to harness this demographic's contributions and explore new avenues for growth and collaboration.
The commission will focus on promoting cultural and educational exchanges, as well as facilitating sustainable economic development. Its diverse membership includes state senators, leaders from healthcare and academia, representatives from the Governor's Office, and individuals from various industries.
Consul General of India Binaya Srikanta Pradhan hailed the establishment of the commission as a significant milestone in the partnership between India and New Jersey. He highlighted the potential for increased economic engagement, citing existing trade volumes and investment flows between the two regions.
Pradhan said, "It is a potential story of dynamic convergence and confluence of India’s economic resilience, presence of a highly successful Indian-American community and America’s spirit of innovation, fostering a landscape ripe with opportunities across sectors. Governor Murphy’s initiative to establish the New Jersey-India Commission would add strength to the already existing high level of economic engagement in terms of over $10 billion in trade with New Jersey or several two-way investments. This would also give a boost to the strong people-to-people connection that exists between India and New Jersey including in areas of education and knowledge partnership. We also look forward to Governor Murphy’s visit to India in the near future to take forward our partnership to new heights."
Governor Murphy's economic mission trip to India in 2019 laid the groundwork for closer ties, resulting in significant job creation and investment opportunities. India's investments in New Jersey over the past two decades have contributed to job growth in key sectors such as technology and life sciences.
With India being New Jersey's second-largest source of foreign direct investment and the state home to a large Indian immigrant community, the establishment of the New Jersey-India Commission underscores the mutual benefits of strengthening bilateral relations.
Members of the commission represent a cross-section of industries and expertise, reflecting the diverse interests and potential for collaboration between New Jersey and India. Their collective efforts are expected to further deepen ties and unlock new opportunities for partnership and growth in the years to come.
The commission comprises a distinguished lineup of state leaders across various sectors, featuring notable figures such as state senators Vin Gopal (D-Ocean Twp.) and Raj Mukherji (D-Jersey City), along with Indu Lew and Balpreet Grewal-Virk representing RWJ Barnabas Health.
Additionally, Jose Lozano from Hackensack Meridian Health, Coleen Burrus from Princeton University, Raj Parikh from Genova Burns, Pavita Howe from BioNJ, and Parimal Garg from the Governor's Office are among the prominent members.
Other esteemed individuals who are part of the commission include Dini Ajmani, Natasha Alagarasan, Sri Atluri, Snehal Batra, Ravi Dattatreya, Kirti Desai, Kiran Handa Gaudisoso, Jaime Jacob, Monica Jain, Gurbir Johal, Suchitra Kamath, Krishna Kishore, Vidya Kishore, Kris Kolluri, Wesley Mathews, Anjali Mehrotra, Deelip Mhaske, Suresh Muthuswami, Srinivas Pallia, Anand Paluri, Falguni Pandya, Carrie Parikh, Rajiv Parikh, Gurpreet Pasricha, Deepak Raj, Jatin Shah, Huzaifa Shakir, Sterley Stanley, Ragy Thomas, Steven Van Kuiken, and Christina Zuk.
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