(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that from Sunday, February 23, to Saturday, March 1, 2025, he will head a delegation of state officials and business leaders from Connecticut on an economic development mission in India, where they will meet with executives of companies and key government officials to discuss strategies that will build stronger economic ties between Connecticut and India.
The delegation includes Connecticut Economic and Community Development Commissioner Daniel O’Keefe; former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi; UConn President Radenka Maric; Yale University Vice Provost for Research Michael Crair; Connecticut Innovations CEO Matthew McCooe; and executives from Advance Connecticut, a business-driven nonprofit organization that works to engage, retain, and recruit businesses to Connecticut. Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, who is a board member of Advance Connecticut and resides in India, will host the group during the visit. The delegation will be traveling to Chennai, Bangalore, and Mumbai.
“There are several notable Indian companies that have expressed interest in expanding their operations to North America, and we plan on meeting with them to let them know why Connecticut is an excellent place for them to select as their base of operations,” Governor Lamont said. “We will also meet with executives from several Indian companies that are already operating in our state, such as Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services. Connecticut and India have many unique connections, and we want to strengthen that bond and increase it to its full economic potential.”
In addition to one-on-one meetings with corporate decision makers representing Indian companies, the delegation will be participating in events such as Venture Clash, a roundtable discussion on quantum computing, and an MOU signing, which will be announced during the visit.
The socio-economic ties between Connecticut and India are strong. Indians make up the second-largest foreign-born population in the state, and Connecticut has the seventh highest population of Indian residents proportionally in the United States, with numerous Indian cultural groups operating in every corner of the state. As a result of this, Connecticut receives the ninth most tourism dollars spent by Indian travelers per capita in the United States.
India-born residents in Connecticut make up 14% (38,000) of the state’s foreign-born population. Of the19,990 international students studying in Connecticut, 7,200 are from India, making it the top country of origin of international students in the state. Approximately 36.5% of international students in Connecticut are from India, compared to 29.4% nationally.
“Connecticut has been successful at attracting Indian technology companies, especially fintech and insurtech companies that have clients in Hartford and Stamford,” Commissioner O’Keefe said. “We also have the advantage of an excellent location from which these companies can easily access their clients in the large metro areas of Montreal, Toronto, New York, and Boston from a Connecticut-based headquarters location.”
“We have a number of Indian companies operating in Connecticut,” John Bourdeaux, president and CEO of Advance Connecticut, said. “Equally, there are several Connecticut-headquartered companies with operations in India, including Amphenol and Stanley Black & Decker, among others. Creating stronger connections with Indian business leaders will be a win-win for the state and for the companies. Indian companies integrate successfully into the Connecticut business ecosystem and the Connecticut economy benefits greatly from their growing businesses.”
Governor Lamont may adjust his schedule and return to Connecticut earlier than currently planned if it is determined to be necessary.