Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, Consul General of India in Los Angeles, told a gathering of Southern California executives on June 25 that U.S.-India ties are “the most consequential relationship of the 21st century,” urging the region’s businesses to engage with India not as an emerging market but as a strategic partner shaping the global economy.
The invitation-only event, “India Is Not Optional,” was organized by the California India Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the Port of Long Beach. Attendees included executives from defense, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, logistics, and venture capital, along with Port of Long Beach Harbor Commissioner Bonnie Lowenthal and representatives of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In a fireside chat moderated by Gunjan Bagla, CEO of Amritt Inc. and a Chamber board member, Srinivasa acknowledged recent hiccups in U.S.-India relations but called them normal disagreements between friends, noting that no planned collaboration in defense or aerospace has missed a date in two years. The Bilateral Trade Agreement, he said, is “still in process”, down to “the commas and full stops”, and the $500 billion trade goal represents two-way trade across defense, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and services.
He cited India’s roughly 7 percent annual growth, a 600 million-strong middle class, and the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, and outlined a proposed “talent corridor” between India and the U.S., with funded exchange programs and R&D support; the first planning meeting is set for next month. Responding to an audience question, he revealed that after the May 2025 clash with Pakistan, India placed drone orders estimated at $3-5 billion, calling drones “the future” of defense.
The evening also featured local Southern California executives with deep India experience. Marvin Sepe, Senior Vice President of Irvine-based CTC Global, in conversation with Dr. Nitin Bajaj, described how the transmission-conductor maker took its Pune manufacturing plant from decision to operation in just 14 months, with South Asia now its largest market. His advice for India market entrants: bring a differentiated product and invest in local partnerships, because going it alone is “a tough road.”, pointing to experts such as Amritt and to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Dr. Ravindra Verma, founder of the Mobility Infrastructure Group, in a session moderated by Bagla, traced his journey from managing the first LA Metro line to landmark Indian projects including the Delhi Metro and Kolkata’s privately financed toll bridge over the Hooghly river. His firm is now bringing U.S. investment into multimodal logistics parks under India’s PM “Gati Shakti: program, which has cut factory-to-port transit times from 15 days to three or four.
Srinivasa closed the evening by announcing that India’s Deputy Ambassador will tour the southwestern U.S. in the third week of July, and assured attendees that the Consulate stands ready to assist companies exploring the Indian market.
