Overview of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy visit to India

The governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy, paid a six-city tour to India from September 15-22, 2019 with focus on inviting companies to invest and create jobs. By this visit, Phil Murphy became the first sitting New Jersey governor, US (United States) to visit India. The six places visited were New Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. India is New Jersey’s second-largest foreign direct investor.

New jersey delegation: 
Murphy was accompanied by his wife Tammy Murphy (first lady of New Jersey) and the delegation included New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) CEO Tim Sullivan, Senator Vin Gopal, Assemblyman Raj Mukherji and Senator Sam Thompson, as well as executives from sectors of technology, higher education, healthcare, economic development, energy and professional services.

MoU’s signed:
Various Memorandum of Understandings(MoU) were signed during Murphy’s visit to India which are listed below.

Mou’s signed in Gujarat:

• Sister state agreement: New Jersey and Gujarat signed ‘sister state agreement’ MoU for cooperation in economic development, clean energy, higher education, tourism, cultural exchange, health and also trade-investment.
• IIT Gandhinagar: The Indian Institute of Technology(IIT)- Gandhinagar signed MoU with 4 universities in New Jersey for collaboration in academia and research. The 4 universities are New Jersey Institute of Technology, New Jersey City University, Rutgers University and Rowan University.

Mou’s in Delhi:

• Nasscom: The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) has signed an MoU with VentureLink @NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology) and Choose New Jersey(NJ), to create a “Nasscom Launchpad” to ease partnerships between the State of New Jersey and India and to promote technology-based Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) between the two places. The MoU was signed by Shivendra Singh, Vice president & Head – Global Trade Development at Nasscom, Jose Lozano, President and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Choose NJ and Simon Nynens, Vice President(VP) of VentureLink@NJIT.
• Princeton University: Princeton University in New Jersey has signed two MoUs with IIT Delhi and ReNew power, which is India’s largest independent renewable energy producer for exploration in clean energy research with Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University.
• NRDC: National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), Delhi which is an enterprise of Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR) under the science and technology ministry, signed an MoU with New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) And Rowan University, New Jersey for intensifying cooperation in innovation. The MoU was signed by Dr. H Purushotham, Chairman & Managing Director(MD) of NRDC, Mr. Tim Sullivan, CEO of NJEDA and Dr. Beena Sukumaran, Vice President for Research, Rowan University.

MoU in Telangana:

• Sister state partnership agreement: Telangana and New jersey has signed a sister state partnership agreement in Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana. The MoU was signed by Murphy and SK Joshi, Chief Secretary of the state. This MoU will enhance cooperation in areas like IT(Information Technology), Pharma & Life Sciences, Biotech, Fintech, Media, Data Centres, Clean Energy, Higher Education, Tourism, Culture, and Healthcare sectors.
• MoU on film production: A pact was signed with Active Telugu Film Producers Guild with New Jersey to support film production. This MoU will further enhance mutual relationship and facilitate the shooting of Indian films in New Jersey.
• T-hub: T-hub which is India’s largest incubator for startups based in Hyderabad, Telangana, signed a tripartite MoU with Choose New Jersey’, an economic development organisation and ‘VentureLink’. This tripartite agreement would provide collaboration in areas of startup innovation, funding and entrepreneurship. Under the agreement, two individuals per startup will get complementary space for 2 months in New Jersey.

MoU in Mumbai: 

• TiE Mumbai:TiE Mumbai, which is a not-for-profit network of entrepreneurs, New Jersey City University (NJCU) and Choose New Jersey which is a privately funded non-profit economic development organization, entered into an MoU for the purpose of promoting technology and technology-based investment exchanges between India and New Jersey. The MoU was signed by Atul Nishar, President of TiE Mumbai, Tamara Cunningham, Assistant Vice President for Global Initiatives of the New Jersey university and Margie Piliere, Chief Economic Development Officer at Choose New Jersey.
• MoU by SNDT University: An MoU between SNDT Women’s University and Rutgers University in New Jersey was signed for collaboration in food science and nutrition and food certification for businesses. The SNDT university will also be mentored by Rutgers in new incubator creation. The MoU was signed during First Lady Tammy Murphy’s visit to SNDT university to give a speech on “Gender Equality through Women Empowerment.” SNDT is India’s and South-East Asia’s first Women’s University.
• MoU on film production: Producers Guild of India Today signed MoU with Choose New Jersey, New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission for enhancing mutual relationships and also for shooting Indian films in New Jersey. This MoU offers 2% diversity credit tax bonus for television and filmmakers.

Other important events during the visit:

• Murphy opened second overseas office in New Delhi, tasked with the sole mission of luring(offering) businesses and jobs to New Jersey.
• New Jersey India Center: Murphy opened New Jersey India Center in Gurugram. This centre will enhance the trade relationship between India and New Jersey. Mr. Tarun Gupta, CEO and Managing Partner of T&A Consulting, will serve as New Jersey’s liaison to the Indian business community.
• New Jersey- India Inaugural Business Roundtable: Governor Murphy attended the New Jersey- India Inaugural Business Roundtable hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi.
• New Jersey representation office: Murphy announced a New Jersey representation office in Delhi to cultivate international investments in New Jersey.
• 1st Sustainability Innovation Summit: Murphy addressed the 1st Sustainability Innovation Summit held in Hyderabad, Telangana. The summit was organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in partnership with the Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation Limited (TSREDCO), Department of Energy, and Government of Telangana.
• CFO Engage: A 2-day conference CFO (Chief Financial Officers) Engage was organized in Mumbai where Murphy met corporate level executives.
• Choose New Jersey hosted ‘Second NJ & India: Connecting Transatlantic Gateways’ event in Mumbai, in partnership with the event sponsor United Airlines, with the goal of promoting New Jersey to Indian companies and underscoring how New Jersey views India as a vital economic partner.

Meeting with Indian Delegations:

• Meet with the PM: Governor Murphy, First Lady Tammy Murphy, Deputy Chief of Mission Edgard Kagan, and NJEDA’s Wesley Mathews met with Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and discussed on India-New Jersey relations.
• Meet with EAM: Murphy met External Affairs Minister (EAM)r Shri Subramanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed the mutual relationships of the two places.
• Meet with Piyush Goyal: The New Jersey governor Murphy met with Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and he promoted New Jersey as business destination at the Indo American Chamber of Commerce (IACC).

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