SHAHEEN TO LEAD TRADE DELEGATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESSES TO INDIA

(Washington, DC) – Continuing her long-standing commitment to growing jobs through increasing exports, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced today that she will lead a delegation of New Hampshire businesses on a trade mission to India in September 2011. 

“Growing our exports is key to growing jobs, and India represents an enormous and largely untapped competitive opportunity for New Hampshire businesses and workers,” Shaheen said. “In today’s globalized marketplace, it is more important than ever to look abroad for expanded markets and new customers. As a former Governor, I understand the importance trade missions can play in promoting New Hampshire products and advancing opportunities for businesses in our state. I look forward to proving once again that when given the chance, New Hampshire businesses can successfully compete in any market in the world – including India.”

Shaheen will be coordinating her trip with the New Hampshire state government’s International Trade Resource Center (ITRC), the United States Commercial Service, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the U.S. State Department. Any New Hampshire businesses that are interested in pursuing new trade and investment opportunities with India are invited to attend.

New Hampshire businesses that are interested in exploring the opportunity to join the trade mission should contact Dawn Wivell of the ITRC at (603) 271-8444, dawn.wivell@dred.state.nh.us or Justin Oslowski of the US Commercial Service at (603) 953-0210, justin.oslowski@trade.gov.  The trip will start on September 24, 2011.  The deadline to apply is July 8, 2011. Additional trip details, including costs for businesses, itinerary, and business matching opportunities, will be coordinated with participating businesses through ITRC and US Commercial Service.

As the largest democracy in the world, India represents an enormous marketplace of nearly 1.2 billion consumers.  India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is $1.5 trillion, and is growing rapidly, yet remains a largely untapped market for most New Hampshire businesses.  In fact, India – with the 2nd largest population and the 4th largest economy in the world – was not in the top 20 markets for New Hampshire products. There is significant room for growth in this relationship.   

In an effort to spur a more robust trade and investment relationship between New Hampshire and India, Senator Shaheen hosted the Indian Ambassador to the United States for a visit to the state in April 2010. More information on that visit can be found here.

As Governor, Shaheen led the first New Hampshire trade delegation outside of North America. In the 1990’s, then-Governor Shaheen led trade missions to England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Mexico and Canada, including the first trade mission from the United States to Canada following September 11.  These missions generated hundreds of millions of dollars for New Hampshire businesses.

In 2010, New Hampshire exceeded its all-time export sales record by selling $4.4 billion in products overseas. The increase from 2009 was over 40%, which represented the highest rate of increase in the United States.