India Business Newsletter
October 1- October 15, 2020
A Forum for Indian Businesses in North East USA
(Covering: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont)
India - US to sign BECA for Geo-Spatial Cooperation
India and the United States will sign the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) for geo-spatial cooperation during the India-US plus two dialogue which is expected to take place on October 26-27.
BECA is important for India to acquire armed drones such as the MQ-9B from the US. BECA is significant as it would allow India to use global geo-spatial maps of the US for accuracy of cruise and ballistic missiles.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says India should soon become a global hub for AI
Speaking at the Responsible AI for Social Empowerment (RAISE) 2020 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that artificial intelligence (AI) can play a crucial role in developing solutions in agriculture, creating next generation urban infrastructure, as well as for making disaster management systems in the country stronger and he also mentioned that he wants India to become a global hub for AI, it is also a collective responsibility of the nation to protect the world from misuse of AI by non-state actors such as cyber criminals, terrorists, among others.
Philadelphia receives 1.8 million N-95 masks from India
Philadelphia receives 1.8 million N95 masks from India to aid their fight against COVID-19. Another example of the robust India-US reliable partnership in the health sector.
India, US talk stepping up investment, strengthening supply chain
Two-way investment and strengthening of supply chain were part of the “productive” conversation India had with strategic partner the US this week.US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchen and Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu discussed stepping up two-way investment and ways to further strengthening “critical supply chain partnership for bilateral and global good.”

Foreign Secretary participates alongwith Stephen Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State in the opening session of the 4th India-US Forum
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla participated alongside U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, who was in India for a three-day visit, in the opening session of the fourth India-US Forum.According to the State Department statement, Beiegun’s engagements in India will focus on advancing the United States – India Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and how the United States and India can work together to advance peace, prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the globe.
GALA event organized by Indian Association
of Long Island
Consul(trade) attended the GALA event of Indian Association of Long Island (IALI) on 11/10/2020. Mr. Thomas Suozzi, Congressman, Laura Curran, Nassau County Executive, Anna Kaplan, State Senator, Kevin Thomas, NY State Senator were also present. In the event, prominent members of the community, involved in providing assistance during the Pandemic were recognized.
India-US virtual Buyer Seller meet on
October 15, 2020 organized by PHDCCI and Department of Commerce
Consul General was keynote speaker in Virtual Buyer Seller meet organized by PHDCCI and Department of Commerce which focused on various sectors like apparels, handicrafts and home furnishings, leather products, educational toys and games, wooden furniture, textiles, carpets and floor coverings, cosmetics and machine tools.