NEW YORK: Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna has encouraged Indian exporters and entrepreneurs to use trade facilitation portals to expand business in the United States, saying India has the potential to export $50 billion worth of food products to the United States.
Khanna has partnered with the India-US Trade Facilitation Portal to connect Indian exporters and entrepreneurs with business opportunities, sourcing partners and key market platforms in the United States.
By promoting greater business engagement, the portal aims to support expanded bilateral trade and strengthen economic ties between India and the United States.
“The India-US Trade Facilitation Portal will enable Indian businesses to access global markets, strengthen bilateral trade and advance India’s ambition to become a global leader in food exports,” Binaya Pradhan, Consul General of India in New York, said in a statement.
Pradhan described Khanna as one of India’s finest ambassadors, building bridges between India and the world through the universal language of food, stressing that his journey reflects “the confidence, excellence and entrepreneurial spirit of a rising India”.
Talking about the partnership, Khanna said: “For me, it’s not just food. Every Indian product that goes out into the world carries the dreams of our farmers, the dedication of our entrepreneurs and the soul of our culture.”
He said: “My dream is to see India export $50 billion worth of food to the United States. This is not only a trade milestone but also a celebration of Indian heritage, innovation and excellence.”
Khanna, named one of the world’s 100 most influential people by Time magazine this year, added that the portal can help Indian businesses showcase their products, find trusted partners and learn from global companies.
In April, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri launched the India-US Trade Facilitation Portal at an event organized by the Consulate General of India in New York during his visit to Washington DC.
The portal has been developed to enhance India-US trade and commercial engagement by promoting greater interaction between businesses, investors, institutions and stakeholders of both countries.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it aims to “unlock” new trade opportunities, improve ease of doing business, support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups, and accelerate efforts to achieve the $500 billion trade target between the United States and India by 2030.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthen India-US trade while accelerating India’s emergence as a global food power, a press release issued on Wednesday said.
The program aims to encourage Indian food brands, exporters, start-ups and MSMEs to explore opportunities in the United States through trusted networks, strategic guidance and market entry support.
Furthermore, in a message highlighting the growing global reach of Indian products, Khanna recalled that when he went to trade shows in the US, he was often the only Indian on the platform.
“But times are changing. We are seeing India’s footprint expanding across the Western world. It could be cuisine, culture, values, innovation or products.”
Khanna said that the India-US Trade Facilitation Portal is more than just a platform. “Indian exporters across all sectors, including the food industry, can showcase their products through virtual exhibitions, connect with trusted sourcing partners and use AI-driven recommendations to discover suitable opportunities for them.”
Praising the portal for providing Indian exporters and businesses with an opportunity to understand the avenues for getting their products into US giants like Amazon, Costco and Walmart, Khanna said: “I have been working with them for many years and this is the right platform.”
Khanna encouraged Indian exporters and businesses to register on the India-US Trade Facilitation Portal and stressed that “it is time we leverage these platforms to take our culture, our artisans and our values to the world”.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
