External Affairs minister S Jaishankar met the visiting Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, and said that he was “impressed by his commitment and energy for stronger India-US ties” and appreciated the “contribution of Texas to the growth of the relationship”. Abbott’s visit to India comes at a time when his government is at odds with the Joe Biden administration over illegal immigration along the US-Mexico border. The disagreement between Texas and the US federal government over the control of the US-Mexico border has further intensified after Abbott announced he will defy the Biden administration and US Supreme Court by ordering the installation of even more razor wire to deter migration. On Monday, the Supreme Court had voted 5-4 in favour of the federal government’s power to remove the controversial concertina wire installed along the stretches of the border in Texas at Abbott’s direction. Despite this, Abbott, a hard-right Republican, is intensifying his plans to try and fence off parts of the US border with Mexico. After his meeting with the Texas Governor, Jaishankar tweeted, “Delighted to meet Governor @GregAbbott_TX of Texas. Impressed by his commitment and energy for stronger India-US ties. Appreciate the contribution of Texas to the growth of the relationship. Confident that his mission to India will be successful.” Abbott is leading an economic development mission to India organised by the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office and the Texas Economic Development Corporation. He is visiting to promote Texas’s economy; encourage continued trade, job creation, and capital investment by Indian companies in Texas; and deepen the strong partnership between India and Texas. According to a statement from Abbott’s office, he met with the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, to build upon the already strong economic relationship between Texas and India. “Governor Abbott and Minister Goyal discussed the future of Texas’s economic partnership with India, including plans to encourage investment in information and communication technology and promote engineering and research at institutes of higher learning. The Governor also touted Texas’s position as the most popular destination for Indian foreign direct investment and jobs created in the nation according to Indian industry estimates,” it said. “As the eighth-largest economy in the world and home to a highly skilled and growing workforce, Texas offers endless opportunities for business expansion and investment from our global partners,” said Abbott, in the statement. “Texas is America’s — and the world’s — premier economic destination because of our dedication to cultivating a business-friendly environment where companies have the freedom and resources they need to thrive. There is great potential for us to expand critical industry and trade partnerships with India,” he said. According to the Texas Governor’s office, India is ninth among all nations for the number of foreign direct investment projects in Texas. According to Indian industry estimates, Texas is the most popular destination for Indian FDI capital investment and jobs created in the US. In the last decade, companies from India have invested $1.4 billion in capital investment through 59 projects in Texas, creating more than 10,300 jobs. In 2022, Texas’s total trade with India totaled $20.4 billion, making India the state’s 11th-largest total trade partner. That same year, Texas exports to India totaled $13.3 billion. Texas exports account for 28 percent of all US exports to India. Governor Abbott and the Texas delegation have met business leaders, including Adani Group’s chairman Gautam Adani, HCL Tech Chief Operating Officer Rahul Singh, NASSCOM Chairman & Managing Director Rajesh Nambiar among others.
