Mayor Hardberger to lead trade mission to India

Mayor Phil Hardberger will lead a delegation of city leaders in a trade mission to India on Friday, February 22, to forge economic and cultural ties and work toward building a Sister City relationship with the City of Chennai. In addition to meeting with the U.S. consulate and chief minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, the delegation will tour port facilities and will also visit with Indian business leaders in the biomedical, automotive manufacturing, and information technology industries.

“We’re delighted at the opportunity to build partnerships with our friends in Chennai,” said Mayor Hardberger. “India’s fast-growing economy and its vibrant culture make it an ideal place for us to explore mutually beneficial relationships,” he added.

India is the world’s largest democracy and ranks as the second fastest-growing economy with the third largest purchasing power. San Antonio has had past success with forging international ties and leaders believe this latest trip will be fruitful as well.

This is the community’s second trade mission to India. In 2006, San Antonio’s India Association asked Mayor Hardberger to work towards establishing a relationship with India that would underscore the presence and contributions of the San Antonio Indian community. A Sister City task force was created and the delegation, led by former City Councilman Richard Perez, visited the cities of Hyderabad and Chennai, India.

San Antonio’s Indian community has been extremely instrumental in getting these efforts off the ground. “San Antonio is fortunate to have 1,800 Indian families who have consistently achieved leadership positions in such fields as medicine, engineering and finance,” Mayor Hardberger said.

The delegation will also travel to New Delhi to meet with Indian government officials including the U.S. ambassador to India, the Indian minister of finance and Indian business representatives to promote trade opportunities between San Antonio and India.

Chennai is considered to be India’s cultural capital and features one of India’s largest ports responsible for much of South India’s manufacturing boom. Chennai is a major export hub for cars into Southeast Asia and is home to nearly one-third of India’s automobile industry. In addition, Chennai is widely considered the healthcare capital of India having one of the largest facilities in Asia specializing in cutting-edge medical procedures.