Remarks by Ambassador Nancy J. Powell at the Inauguration of American Business Corner in Guwahati

Guwahati | December 19, 2012

Ambassador Powell:  Namaste, As-salamu alaykum, and good afternoon.  It is a real pleasure to be back in Guwahati.  This is a return after nearly 20 years when I had Dean’s job as the Consul General in Kolkata.  I am delighted to come and be part of our Experience America program that’s taking place over the next two days.

This is one of the highlights for me in opening our new American Business Corner.  This is a facility that we have established in other places in India, but as was mentioned by Mr. Saria, this is the first one in northeast India.  I think this is a growing recognition of, first of all, the importance of the trade relationship between India and the United States.  It is growing very rapidly.  We would like to see it be in all parts of India including the northeast.

It’s also a recognition of the entrepreneurship that is so evident as I toured around Guwahati this morning, looking at how much has changed since I was here in 1992.

It is also a recognition of the opportunities that exist as a result of government programs, of the entrepreneurs here, and an opportunity to make sure that those who wish to trade with the United States, those who wish to invest, Americans who wish to invest in this part of the country, have good information, and the American Business Corner is designed to do that.

We want to say a very very special thank you to our partner, the ICC for working with us.  We think this is going to provide those in the northeastern part of India with an opportunity to have access to real-time information.  They can come back to our office in Kolkata or the one in Delhi for additional information.  But many many of the questions can be answered.  Many potential opportunities for trade or investment can be identified through the resources that the center is going to bring to Guwahati and to the northeast.

I do very much appreciate the opportunity this morning to meet with a number of business people to hear about the opportunities and the challenges and to look forward to working with you as part of Team India, part of Mission India, from Delhi, from Kolkata, and we hope that the northeast will be an area that can fully meet its potential and that we will have a part in doing that through our American Business Corner.

Thank you very very much.