USISPF Convenes Roundtable With Ambassador USTR Katherine Tai

EE News Desk Jan 16, 2024

To highlight and underscore the importance of small and medium enterprise companies (SMEs) in the United States - India partnership, the US - India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) convened a roundtable with Ambassador Katherine Tai, the United States Trade Representative (USTR), on 13 January 2024, in New Delhi. The discussions focused on SMEs and their role in fostering economic ties between the United States and India.

USISPF member companies and their SME partners including Amazon and Hair Originals, YogaDesk; Coca Cola and Food & Inns; Meta and Gifts of Love, Deyor Experiences; Amway, T-Second and WinzO Games; as well as Educational Testing Services (ETS) participated in the roundtable discussion. Each company highlighted the importance of its partnership with USISPF's large MNC companies, both for the domestic market and for exports to the United States and elsewhere.

The discussions with USTR Tai also shed insights into the needs of working with SMEs, including startups and the challenges of entering new markets and engaging in global trade. The collaborative discourse shed light on member companies' approaches and programs to support SMEs and startups.

In his opening remarks, Dr Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO, USISPF highlighted the forum's commitment to SMEs and startups, citing the establishment of 'Startup Connect' in the Bay Area, which has been helpful for several Indian entrepreneurs in the Bay Area. This program aims to facilitate meaningful connections between startups, predominantly led by Indian entrepreneurs and potential clients, mentors and funders in the U.S.

Reflecting on the success of the roundtable, Aghi stated, "We are pleased to witness the meaningful discussions and collaboration at the US-India Trade Policy Forum SME Roundtable. The insights shared by Ambassador Katherine Tai and the distinguished participants underscore the importance of SMEs in strengthening economic ties between our nations. USISPF remains committed to fostering collaborative dialogues that drive growth and innovation in the SME sector."

Recognising that SMEs and startups are where job creation is now taking place globally, the USISPF plans to launch an SME initiative in the coming months to provide a platform to small and medium enterprise companies in both countries to facilitate faster integration in the ecosystem of multinational companies.