Business with India like 'connecting my two homes':Nikki Haley

Seeking to connect her "two homes", Indian-American Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley today pitched for two-way investment flows between Punjab and her state in the US.

"It is a very emotional trip. I have not been here (Punjab) since I was two. So I am proud of now that I have some memories. Before (this visit) I had dreams, I had imaginations. I had what I had thought what India was. It is much more and much better. Hospitality has been fantastic...," Haley, who is heading an 18-member delegation to India, told reporters here today.

"For me to (be) here and see the place my parents talk about. They still talk about it and they get emotional. When I go home and I can have conversation with them and we do not expect it would be our last visit," the 42-year old said who earlier had an interactive session with local industrialists.

Haley is on a 10-day trip to India and will be visiting Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. She will also be going to Amritsar today evening.

Describing her visit to India as an "important" trip, Haley said focusing on India for attracting investments was "personal," saying it is like "connecting my two homes together."

"We do focus on other countries. But the difference with India is personal. I want connection with India and South Carolina," she further said.

"It is personal for me to be able to come back to India. To being here in Punjab is a fact that if I am going to bring international companies, I want Indian companies. That is what want I do. It is home to home, connecting my two homes together," she said assuring Indian industrialists that their businesses would be "well taken care of" in South Carolina and would also give her reason to come back to India.

Describing India as a "potential market" and "potential partner", the South Carolina Governor said she was looking at business opportunities with India in the field of Pharmaceuticals, automotive, Information Technology and other sectors.

"We have opportunities with India to work in pharma, automotive, IT, agriculture and any business in India which wants to look at the US," she said.

"We see India as potential market and potential partner," she further said.
Calling herself as an "aggressive governor", Haley said, "We have cut regulations, have cut taxes. We do not have labour unions and we have created an environment that is completely focused on industry."

Asked about India, Haley said that she was not looking at "certain states" for attracting investments.

"We are not looking at certain states (in India). We are looking at the entire country. We see opportunities in India. We see a lot of companies want to grow. Companies here, we see, want to invest in USA. Dollar is weak (and) they realize this is the right time to invest. We are not limiting to certain part of India," Haley said.

She further said that she is also looking forward to companies based at South Carolina investing in India. "We also see opportunities for South Carolina companies. There are a lot of companies looking to invest overseas," she said.

Haley, who holds Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, said that she was also looking at opportunities to partner with Universities for students exchange programmes with India.