India-US CEO Forum virtually held with discussions focussed on mutual benefits for both countries

This is the sixth time the Forum has been convened since its reconstitution in December 2014 by India and the US governments.

The India-U.S. CEO Forum, chaired jointly by Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal and US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo was held virtually today. This is the sixth time the Forum has been convened since its reconstitution in December 2014 by India and the US governments.

A statement from India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry said the Forum continues to be an effective platform for dialogue across key sectoral themes and to identify areas for closer collaboration for the mutual benefit of both economies. Senior government functionaries, including the Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Sandhu, also participated in the meeting.

The CEO Forum, comprising CEOs from leading Indian and US-based companies, is co-chaired by N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and James Taiclet, President and Chief Executive Officer, of Lockheed Martin. At the forum, minister Goyal highlighted the significant growth of the India-US economic relations driven by the "common interest" of promoting sustainability, emerging technologies, globally resilient supply chains, and small businesses.

The statement said Goyal also reiterated the importance of such dialogues in leveraging this momentum. CEOs from both sides commended the two governments for implementing transformative reforms and initiatives undertaken to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The CEOs, under the seven working groups, presented priority areas to create stronger partnerships and boost growth across various critical areas such as Entrepreneurship and Promoting Small Businesses, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, Aerospace and Defence, ICT and Digital Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Environment, Infrastructure and Manufacturing, Financial Services, Trade and Investments, among others, the statement read. "This dialogue will serve as the framework under which specific recommendations will be charted out during the sixth edition of the India-US CEO Forum, due to be held early next year." (ANI)