Indian Consulate in Seattle organises first business forum to showcase investment opportunities in India

SEATTLE, Jan 29 : A business forum organised in Seattle highlighted investment opportunities in India from the US Pacific Northwest in sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, agri-tech, healthcare, higher education and tourism and showcased items for possible exports from India into the Greater Seattle area.

The first ‘Invest India Business Forum’ (IIBF) was organised Monday by the Consulate General of India in Seattle in partnership with Greater Seattle Partners and The Northwest Seaport Alliance at the Bell Harbour International Conference Centre.

The business forum aimed to attract investments from the Pacific Northwest into key sectors, particularly in high-end technologies like AI, which is anticipated to contribute USD 500 billion to India’s economy by 2025, a press release issued by the Indian Consulate in Seattle said.

Presentations made during IIBF underscored Government of India’s “commitment to developing key sectors, its skilled workforce, digital infrastructure”, and related GOI policies. It also provided a platform to showcase select items for possible exports from India into the Greater Seattle area, the release added.

Experts from various sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, agri-tech, healthcare, higher education and tourism presented detailed project specific opportunities available for investment in these sectors in India and also highlighted India’s potential for growth and innovation across these industries, it said.

Several dignitaries and leading CEOs from companies of the Puget Sound region, a coastal area of the Pacific Northwest in Washington State, joined the event. These included Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson, Mayor of the city of Bellevue Lynne Robinson, Commissioner of the Port of Seattle Sam Cho, and President of Greater Seattle Partners Brian Surratt.

The event also showcased five unique exhibits, including ODOP (One District, One Product) – featuring one unique cultural heritage product from each state and union territory of India; samples of one of India’s finest coffees from Araku valley were displayed and available for tasting by the participating company representatives and some of India’s finest wines and distilleries were also showcased.

Business-to-Business meetings between Washington winery producers and Indian distillery representatives were also facilitated.

The forum also included an exhibition on India as the next destination for hi-tech investments as well as a photo exhibit ‘India through Tim’s Eyes’, which displayed some of India’s most iconic tourism sites photographed by ace photographer Tim Durkan during his visit to India in September last year.

A day earlier, the Indian Consulate in Seattle had hosted a special reception at the Bell Harbour Conference Centre to commemorate India’s 76th Republic Day on Sunday.       Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella were the Guests of Honour at the reception that was attended by over 500 people from the Indian-American community. In a unique first, several members of the US Congress also joined the evening celebrations.

Nadella, addressing the gathering, acknowledged that he “was a product of the bond that exists between the two countries (India and USA),” and praised the leadership of both the countries for their “focus on how to use technology to leverage education outcomes, health outcomes, public service efficiency, competitiveness and productivity of small businesses”, the press release said.

Addressing members of the Indian-American community at the Republic Day reception, Ferguson, the newly elected 24th Governor of Washington State, acknowledged “the incredible contribution the Indian society makes not just for India but for the entire world”.

He added that as a new Governor of the State of Washington, he looked forward to building on the relationship with the Consulate General of India in Seattle.

In a special recognition to mark the occasion, Washington State Senate in Olympia passed a State Senate Resolution, moved by State Senator Manka Dhingra and supported by Senator Vandana Slatter, welcoming the 76th Republic Day of India and the strong friendship between the people of India and the United States of America.

The Republic Day reception, hosted by Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta, was also attended by a distinguished line-up of top government officials, lawmakers as well as Mayors of ten cities.

Several members of the US Congress who joined the evening celebrations included Rep. Suzan DelBene, Rep. Adam Smith, Rep. Michael Baumgartner, Rep. Kim Schrier, who welcomed India’s achievements as the world’s largest democracy.

Other distinguished participants included Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, along with Mayors of 10 cities of Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Auburn, Tacoma, Mercer Island, Monroe, Kent and Sammamish. Several Washington State Senators and Representatives, along with King County and Bellevue City Council elected members also participated in the Republic Day celebrations.

The first Indian Consulate in Seattle commenced its operations in November 2023 with a consular jurisdiction in US Pacific Northwest covering the nine states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Alaska. (PTI)