Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad to head India trade mission

Gov. Terry Branstad will head up a delegation of business leaders for a six-day trade and investment mission to India Sept. 10-16.

The delegation will stop in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai, the nation's business and industry centers.

“India's economy has transformed in the last couple of decades and is forecasted to be one of the world's largest economies in coming years,” Branstad said in his announcement today. “With India's tremendous growth and a burgeoning young and career-oriented middle class, it is an excellent opportunity to promote Iowa as a U.S. headquarters for Indian companies, particularly those in biotech, information solutions and advanced manufacturing, and also open new trade doors for Iowa small and mid-sized businesses.”

The trade mission is being organized by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Commercial Service and the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The U.S. Ambassador to India, Nancy J. Powell, is a native of Cedar Falls.

Branstad returned earlier this week from a 10-day trip to four European counties.