By Haider Kazim

HOUSTON – Harris County Judge Ed Emmett thinks that India will emerge as the next big US trading partner in the coming years.

Presenting a global trading perspective, Judge Emmett said the US foreign trade was once dominated by Japan. Then came China. "India will be the next in the chain of global partners."

Judge Emmett, chief executive of the Harris County, the third largest in the US, was addressing a select gathering of businessmen and community leaders on "Distinctive Advantages of India as a Business Partner".

The lecture was organized on Monday, March 26, by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series sponsored by BMC Software.

Judge Emmett listed several advantages of India over other countries. He said both the countries have common language (English), have common heritage (both were British colonies) and have common pluralism and diversity.

He said the US had a huge trade deficit with Japan has a huge imbalance with China. But India has a vast potential to energize a two-way trade. "It is a symbiotic relationship."

He also saw huge potential for stronger ties in the fields of education, energy and healthcare.

Judge Emmett had led a business delegation to India in 2007 and is exploring the possibility of a similar mission in the near future.

Earlier, Consul General Sanjiv Arora described Judge Emmett as a "steadfast friend of India" and said there could not be a better person to speak on such a topic.

He highlighted the growing trade between the two countries and quoted Indian Ambassador Nirupama Rao as saying in a recent speech that the two-way India-US trade in goods and services had crossed $100 billion last year. The Indian companies had invested over $26 billion in the past five years and employ over 100,000 people in the US.

Consul General Arora said that he had discussion with the Governors of Texas, Alabama and Mississippi recently on growing ties between India and these states.

Ajit Thakur, President of IACCGH, explained the concepts of iChamber and eChamber espoused by IACCGH. He said "i" in iChanmber stood for interaction and involvement whereas "e" in eChamber represented education, employment, e-commerce, and energy.

Thakur, a well-known CPA, said that the Chamber also wanted excellence in services and ethics in business practices.

He said that the chamber was planning a program in association with the Consulate General of India and the University of Houston for Indian international students here to assimilate in their new environment.

Jagdip Ahlwalia initiated the program and said that the Distinguished lecture Series was originally started with the sponsorship from BMC Software. He thanked the sponsors for their support to the Chamber.

Ajit Thakur presented a check of $5,000 to Pratham Young Professionals as a token of support for the work done by younger generations. The check was received by Sapna Singh of PYP and Swatantra Jain, President of Pratham’s Houston Chapter.

Dr. Renu Khator, President of University of Houston, and John Beddow, Publisher of Houston Business Journal, also addressed the gathering. Mahindra USA made a video presentation.

Link to the presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be6jk0TfBzk&feature=youtu.be

Excerpt from Mahindra USA President Mani Iyer’s message at the luncheon

Mahindra USA, Inc. (MUSA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra LTD, and part of the US $ 14.4 billion Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector. The Mahidra Group is a multinational group based in Mumbai, India, that employs more than 144,000 people in over 100 countries worldwide and operates in 18 key industries, from Farm Equipment to Aerospace. Mahindra entered the US market in 1994 and established Mahindra USA at our then-coporate headquarters in Tomball, TX.

Mahindra USA has had a relationship with Harris County since 1994 and this relationship was further strengthened when Judge Ed Emmett, and a delegation including the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, visited India in 2009 to promote Harris County for Indian trade relations and encourage Indian investment in Harris County. Their visit to the Mahindra Tractors plant in Mumbai played a key role in helping Mahindra commit to expanding our facility, and our presence, in Harris County. Judge Emmett, and the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, also were instrumental in Mahindra USA’s growth and expansion in Harris County by fostering a business-friendly environment that encourages and allows companies to succeed, grow and make a positive impact in Harris County.

Mahindra USA is proud to have relocated our Corporate Headquarters, Parts Department and Production into a single, Class A corporate facility in Harris County that will provide the type of working environment that is truly commensurate with being the #1 selling tractor in the world. This move signifies Mahindra’s commitment to the North American market and also, serves to further strengthen our relationships with our home city of Houston, TX and Harris County, TX. On behalf of Mahindra USA, I would personally like to thank the Honorable Judge Ed Emmett and the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, for their guidance, wisdom and support in helping bring Harris County to the forefront of international trade and more specifically, for helping Mahindra USA set the stage for Our Rise to the Future. Thank you.

Mahindra USA, Inc. (MUSA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra LTD, and part of the US $ 14.4 billion Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Sector. The Mahidra Group is a multinational group based in Mumbai, India, that employs more than 144,000 people in over 100 countries worldwide and operates in 18 key industries, from Farm Equipment to Aerospace. Mahindra entered the US market in 1994 and established Mahindra USA at our then-coporate headquarters in Tomball, TX.