New Jersey governor to visit India

The governor of New Jersey will focus on inviting companies to invest and create jobs as he heads for a week-long visit to India on Friday, becoming the first governor of the US state to visit the country on an official business.

Phil Murphy will leave for a seven-day, six-city trip to India on Friday. The delegation will visit Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Agra.

The focus of the mission is to strengthen economic ties with one of New Jersey's largest trade and investment partners, cultivate international investment opportunities, and deepen cultural and educational ties between New Jersey and India, Murphy's office said in a statement to PTI.

"As India's role as one of our key partners continues to expand, we want to make sure we maximize the potential of our economic relationship," Murphy said.

"We are proud to be the home of one of America's most deeply-rooted Indian American communities, and growing our economic partnership will only strengthen those ties," he said.

According to information by the governor's office, Murphy will be accompanied by his wife and the delegation will include 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.

The governor's activities and public events will include meetings with key government and industry leaders, including representatives of the life sciences, technology, clean energy, film and media, and manufacturing sectors, as well as company visits and announcements.