US Congressional, business team to visit Gujarat

Washington : A US Congressional and business delegation, visiting India this week, will feature a meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi has been denied a US visa for his alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots, but of late US businesses have warmed up to him.

Aaron Schock, a Republican member of the House of Representatives from Illinois who will lead the delegation, is scheduled to travel to Ahmedabad to meet Modi on Thursday, according to an e-mail from the lawmaker’s office.

The trip organized in conjunction with the National Indian American Public Policy Institute will also feature visits with Indian government officials, MPs and business leaders. While in India from March 26 to April 7, the delegation will also travel to Bangalore and New Delhi.

Ron Somers, president of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), an advocacy group of 300 top American and a score Indian companies seeking stronger commercial relations with India, among others has lavished praise on the third term chief minister.

Modi has “created a magnet for investment,” said Somers at the Vibrant Gujarat 2013 Summit in Gandhinagar in January joining several other foreign dignitaries in praising the the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader.