New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy feels that the opening of the State’s India Centre in Gurugram would be a ‘big game changer’.
“We have announced that we are opening a representation office in India, the first one in Asia for New Jersey. This is going to be a big game changer as we will be on the ground in this country, not 7,400 miles away,” he told The Hindu on the sidelines of a dinner hosted by pharmaceutical major Aurobindo Pharma in his honour on Tuesday.
Mr. Murphy, who is on a seven-day, six-city trip to India, was in Hyderabad as part of his visit to increase business opportunities between India and New Jersey.
Stating that most of the companies in New Jersey “are in innovation economy” like telecom and life sciences, he said that innovation could be a major reason for the presence of a large Indian community of 4,20,000 people in the State. “While California, Texas and New York have slightly larger Indian communities, we are the densest State and the Indian culture is much more deeply felt in New Jersey than anywhere else in America.”
Seeking investments
Emphasising that his trip to India was to seek investments and job creation, Mr. Murphy said he was talking to companies that were yet to have their presence in New Jersey besides thanking those who are already present in the State. “There is nothing like face-to-face interaction.” In this context, he also said he had good meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Foreign Minister and Commerce Minister.
The New Jersey Governor was received by Aurobindo Pharma chairman Ram Prasad Reddy, director M. Madan Mohan Reddy and managing director N. Govindarajan. According to Mr. Govindrajan, Aurobindo has invested $300 million in New Jersey so far.
Director General of Pharmaceuticals Exports Promotion Council of India, Ravi Udaya Bhaskar, said India was the single largest generic drug importing partner of the U.S. In 2018-19, he said 31% of India’s pharma exports worth $5,820 million, were to the U.S.A.
