WASITRAC TRADE MISSION TO INDIA & NEPAL
New Dates to be Announced
In a well-attended business round table facilitated by the Washington State India Trade Relations Action Committee (WASITRAC), Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Lokesh Nara led a high-level delegation, hard-selling the state and woo investors, especially in the sectors of IT, infrastructure development, renewable resources, Ports and manufacturing.
It is important to note here that both the states have signed a Friendship Agreement for trade in 2012 during the trade mission led by former governor, Christine Gregoire to Andhra Pradesh in 2012. “We are pleased to interact with the IT Minister and his delegation in Seattle on taking this understanding to the next level”, said Vishwa Prasad, CEO of PeopleTech Group of Companies, who facilitated that trade mission to AP in 2012.
Among the elected leaders from the Washington State, Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib, the Pierce County Council member Pam Roach and the Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman participated in this round table along with former CEO of the Port of Seattle Tay Yoshitani, Eddie Westmoreland of Waste Connections and about 20 business leaders.
“Our State is naturally endowed with a coastline of 974 km, the second longest in the country, and strategically located with six major ports to enable it to become a natural gateway to the Eastern hemisphere with respect to the trade with East, South East Asia and even to the United States through the Pacific”, said Minister Lokesh Nara.
“The visit of the honorable Minister happened in an opportune time when we were planning to take a trade mission to Andhra Pradesh with a goal to establish ties with ports, cities and colleges for a sustainable partnership with our State of Washington”, said Debadutta Dash, the co-chair of WASITRAC.
Welcoming the IT Minister and his delegation, Lt. Governor Habib highlighted different aspects of economic development activities in the Washington State. “A direct sea-trade route would spur the much-desired economic growth between our states. It would also support our agricultural producers and enhance the quality of life for common people on both sides. Partnerships and collaborations in Infrastructure Development, Life Sciences and Technology will create win-win situations for all”, said Habib.
The Minister extended an invitation to the WASITRAC delegation and all the attendees to visit Andhra Pradesh on the proposed trade mission and assured all possible help and co-operation.
The State of Andhra Pradesh is in the process of building a world-class capital city Amaravati, named after the ancient Buddhist city, was the seat of power of Telugu rulers nearly two millennia ago. The Vijayawada-Guntur region has been chosen for the new capital as it is centrally located and accessible from all parts of the state. The Singapore government has designed the master plan for the city that seeks to combine tradition with modernity and incorporates the concepts of Vastu and Feng Shui, the Indian and Chinese sciences of construction. And there are opportunities for Washington state businesses to establish long term partnerships and collaboration.According to the plan, the capital region will be spread over 7,420 sq km, of which the capital city would occupy 217 sq km. The plan envisages an area of 6.84 sq km to be the first to be developed. This core area will contain within it the Assembly, Secretariat, Raj Bhavan and High Court buildings. The vision of Chief Minister Mr. Chandrababu Naidu includes making Andhra Pradesh another Singapore. He launched initiatives which aim at achieving excellence in all walks of life and focus on community building through teamwork.The state of Andhra Pradesh is naturally endowed with a coastline of 974 km, the second longest in the country, and strategically located to enable it to become a natural gateway to the Eastern hemisphere. The state has so far declared 14 non-major ports for development, administered by the Director of Ports, Government of Andhra Pradesh (GoAP). The Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board is being formed to be responsible for integrated planning, development and monitoring of all ports including concessions. At present, these tasks are being handled by the Director of Ports. 9 out of 13 districts of the State are coastal districts. The state has adopted a port led development strategy aligned with the development principles of the Sagarmala Project. The strategic location of the state is undeniable with respect to the trade with East, South East Asia and even to the United States through already widened Panama canal.Given all these facts, the major emphasis of our trade mission will be on exploring export opportunities for Washington State apples, fruits, hops, potatoes, onions and wine. The mission will focus on collaboration, investments, joint ventures and partnerships in the area of infrastructure development, clean energy, management of water resources, waste management and recreational amenities. To achieve the best out of this mission we are reviewing our proposed dates of travel syncing them with the Chief Minister’s office in AP and with the AP Economic Development Board which acts as a catalyst to facilitate economic accelerate the inclusive economic growth, investment climate, reforms, and competitiveness in Andhra Pradesh. We will update you with the new dates very soon.
