American Business Centre launched in Patna

PATNA: US ambassador to India, Nancy J Powell here on Monday launched American Business Centre (ABC) which, she said, would act as a virtual incubator for stronger US-India business relationship. This would help Bihari entrepreneurs access technology and other information.
The ABC will function from the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) office here. It will act as a clearing house to connect Bihar-based companies with US-based companies with dissemination of catalogues of US products to potential buyers.ABC will also arrange workshops, including one on cold chain logistics programme.
Powell said ABC, Patna, would provide global business access to Bihar-based companies through a library, cataloguing of businesses and access to technology and its officials would communicate to Bihar-based companies about US products and services.
Powell said that Indo-US bilateral trade is nearing $100 billion, which was $90 billion in 2011. In recent years, India had been fastest growing inward investment into the US totalling about $49.8 billion by 2011, supporting thousands of US jobs. Powell commended ICC director general R P Singh for envisioning potential benefits of the ABC's opening at Patna in enhancing Indo-US businesses. She recognized the role of ICC's regional director, Bihar, Kamal Sahi, for facilitating the opening of 10th ABC in Patna and developing an understanding of trade and investment climate in Bihar.
She said that in the development of industry and agriculture, the US technologies and services could help Bihar-based companies to make a leap and catapult the state's GDP to a significantly higher level. She said that US would strive to ensure that all Indian companies have the information needed for business with US companies and Bihar would develop as the would-be destination for new-to-market companies.
ICC director general Singh said on the occasion that there was global business community's interest in Bihar.