New Delhi/ Columbia: Barely days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the United States beginning June 7, US Republican party’s rising star and Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley has said that US businesses were “nervous about investing in India” and that there was a need for foreign companies to “know someone in the government” in order to do business here.
The comments contradict the Indian government’s attempts to attract foreign investments through various programmes and significant movement in the ease of doing business, particularly for foreign companies. The World Bank ranks India at 130 out of 189 countries in the ease of doing business. The government aims to breach the top 30 mark in the coming years.
“Firms who want to do business in India very much realise that in India you have to know people to get things done. That is scary for them. That is scary for the fact that the government is much more powerful than it is here (in the US). Here, we are servants. In India, governments are very strong and you have to know someone in the government to be able to be successful in business and that makes American companies nervous,” Haley was quoted by The Indian Express as telling journalists at her Columbia office.
Haley’s remarks also assume significance as they come just ahead of PM Modi’s US visit scheduled to begin from June 7.
When aquizzed about her expectations from Modi’s visit, Haley said that Modi needed to do more than just asserting that India is a US ally and that he needs to convey what he is exactly doing to boost business between the two countries.
“It is not for him to just come here and say he is an ally… I think a lot of people want to know what he is doing to really spur business between the two countries,” said 44-year-old Haley who was born to Indian parents, and is one of the most highly rated Republican leaders in the country.
Asked whether Modi’s visit could translate into business opportunities, Haley said that it would be interesting to hear what Modi has to say, especially in view of the challenges that India is facing.
“He (Modi) has the responsibility to sell India and he has the responsibility to create business relationships with other countries. That is why it will be interesting to hear what he has to say because we know the challenges they are going through. I have kept up with the challenges that are happening in India and for those challenges business is the key; creating jobs and making sure you bring more industries is key. So it will be interesting.”
During his visit, Modi is scheduled to address a joint meeting of the US Congress and hold talks with President Barack Obama to review the progress made in key areas of defence, security and energy.
