U.S. Lawmakers Hail Modi's Trip To Silicon Valley

By siliconindia | Thursday, 24 September 2015, 10:42 Hrs

Modi's "decision to open up domestic markets to foreign direct investment has helped grow U.S. investment into India to $28 billion".

At the same time, trade between the two countries has reached about $120 billion, they noted.

His trip to "California, which marks the first time an Indian head of government has visited the Golden State in 33 years" with a visit to "Silicon Valley will help showcase the exciting contributions Indians and Indian Americans make to the U.S. technology industry", the lawmakers wrote.

Modi is visiting California and touring several Silicon Valley companies this weekend, including Facebook, Google, and Tesla,

"It was clear that your last trip to the United States provided the momentum needed to refocus the U.S.-India relationship.

"We are hopeful that your second visit will lead to the continuation and deepening of the Indian investment into the U.S. economy, as well as the use of U.S. technological knowledge to drive more development in India," they said.

"What has cemented the renewed bilateral commitment is the maturity of the relationship," the letter said.

"This has been reflected at the highest levels, with you and President Obama driving the relationship, and at the citizen-to-citizen level," it added.

Noting that the "U.S. has greatly benefited from the contribution of millions of Indians and Indian Americans living here", the lawmakers said: "These people-to-people relationships will ensure that our partnership will only flourish for years to come."

Source: IANS