USTDA strengthens ties with India to boost its aviation market

May 14, 2018: In a week-long visit to India recently, Thomas R Hardy, Director of Congressional and Public Affairs met with high-level public and private sector decision-makers to discuss ongoing projects and future collaboration.

Core to the visit was co-hosting the US-India Aviation Summit with Union Minister Suresh Prabhu, Minister of State Jayant Sinha and Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey of the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation and the US Ambassador to India, Ken Juster. The summit provided an opportunity for US industry to conclude more than $300 million in new commercial contracts that will strengthen the safety and security of the Indian aviation market. The contracts will introduce innovative US technology solutions to meet the increasing demands on India's expanding aviation ecosystem. Additionally, the summit provided a forum for high-level government and industry leaders from both countries to engage in discussions to lay out a roadmap for future cooperation. At the opening of the summit, United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) announced that it will host a series of visits to the United States for public and private sector decision-makers from India's civil aviation sector. The visits will connect delegates with leading US technologies and solutions that can support India's aviation infrastructure development goals.

In addition to participating in the summit, Hardy met with the Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to discuss a recently signed MoU to cooperate under the Agency's Global Procurement Initiative that promotes value-based procurement. In support of the State of Maharashtra's progressive approach to economic development, the GPI program will conduct a series of trainings and workshops designed to introduce transparent, globally recognised approaches to procurement that will enable the state to obtain quality infrastructure based on value and not simply the lowest cost.

"I appreciated the opportunity to meet with so many of USTDA's partners in India," said Hardy. "At the summit, we made tremendous progress in charting a path forward on shared priorities in the aviation sector. I also witnessed first-hand the impact of USTDA's program and how it is helping to introduce innovative US manufactured goods, services and technologies that will strengthen the safety and security of India's aviation ecosystem. I look forward to seeing the future results of the connections made this week."