MISSION, Texas - Adam Gonzalez, CEO of the Council for South Texas Economic Progress (COSTEP) is currently in India for a trade mission.
Gonzalez has made the trip with the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office and the Texas Economic Development Corporation. Gov. Greg Abbott is leading the mission.
“COSTEP is excited to participate on this trip to India. We look forward to creating relationships that could benefit Rio South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley in new business attraction,” Gonzalez said in a posting on social media.
According to its website COSTEP is advancing regional prosperity through a strategic framework for economic development. “This framework is data-driven and market-validated, with a strong emphasis on job creation and building a regional talent pipeline, all working toward the goal of creating a virtuous circle of education and employment to drive sustainable economic growth and prosperity for the region and its citizens,” the COSTEP website says.
Gonzalez first spoke about an upcoming trip to India in an interview with KURV Radio late last year. The Valley has a growing Indian presence thanks to business software giants Zoho. The company plans to build a 90-acre campus in south McAllen.
Abbott’s Texas delegation departed for India on January 19, 2024, and will return on January 28, 2024. According to Abbott’s office the delegation will “meet with company executives, business leaders, and government officials to promote Texas’ mighty economy; encourage continued trade, job creation, and capital investment by Indian companies in Texas; and deepen the already-strong partnership between India and Texas. This will be Governor Abbott’s second trip to India.”
Abbott said: “As the eighth-largest economy in the world and home to a highly skilled and growing workforce, Texas offers endless opportunities for business expansion and investment from our global partners. Texas is America’s—and the world’s—premier economic destination because of our dedication to cultivating a business-friendly environment where companies have the freedom and resources they need to thrive. There is great potential for us to expand critical industry and trade partnerships with India. I look forward to leading this economic development mission as we share the story and spirit of Texas’ longtime economic success and ingenuity with the people of India.”
Abbott will be joined by his wife, First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Secretary of State Jane Nelson, the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office Executive Director Adriana Cruz, Texas Economic Development Corporation Vice Chair and President of Nextt Arun Agarwal, and Texas Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Aaron Demerson.
The Texas delegation also includes business and economic development leaders from across the state, representing more than 16 companies, communities, and economic development organizations. In addition to COSTEP’s Gonzalez, the tour party includes:
A press release from the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office says: “India is ninth among all nations for the number of foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in Texas. According to Indian industry estimates, Texas is the most popular destination for Indian FDI capital investment and jobs created in the U.S. In the last decade, companies from India have invested $1.4 billion in capital investment through 59 projects in Texas, creating more than 10,300 jobs. In 2022, Texas’ total trade with India totaled $20.4 billion, making India the state’s 11th-largest total trade partner. That same year, Texas exports to India totaled $13.3 billion. Texas exports account for 28 percent of all U.S. exports to India.”
The trip is being sponsored and paid for by the Texas Economic Development Corporation an independently funded and operated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization responsible for marketing and promoting Texas as a premier business location. “Along with the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office, these two organizations make up the cornerstone of Governor Abbott’s economic development agenda to build the Texas of tomorrow,” the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office press release says.
