Connecticut Celebrates Indian-American Ties With Establishment of Trade Commission

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HARTFORD, CT— Connecticut officially has trade commissions with India and Germany, following a ceremonial bill signing last week.

Public Act 26-78 created the volunteer-based commissions, which will meet quarterly to determine how best to protect mutual interests and expand economic ties with the two nations. Among other obligations, the commissions will be tasked with encouraging businesses to establish a presence in Connecticut.

The bill “is more than a trade policy, it’s a recognition of deep cultural, educational, social, and business ties between the United States and India,” said state Sen. Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, D-Trumbull, the state’s first Indian-American senator. “India and the United States share a long friendship and a storied history and most importantly, a deep connection through immigration and cultural exchange.”

Connecticut is the state with the seventh highest proportion of Indian-Americans, being home to over 68,000 people of Indian descent. As of last October, Connecticut also became the second state in the nation to name the Hindu celebration of Diwali as a state holiday.

In October 2025, Lamont led a delegation of legislators and business leaders on an economic development trip to India to solidify and explore connections with Indian businesses.

While the United States has been India’s principal trading partner for almost 80 years, Consul General Ambassador Binaya Srikanta Pradhan said Lamont’s visit to India “brought a new dynamism [and] energy in the relationship between our two countries and particularly with Connecticut.”

Lamont named Infosys – Hartford Tech and Hub as one of the many successful Indian-owned businesses operating within the state. The goal of the commission is not only to invite more Indian industries to establish their American headquarters in Connecticut but also ensure all those of Indian descent feel welcome, said Lamont.

Both nations share mutual interests in the aerospace, biotechnology, and green energy industries, said Wilcox. The new commission will “ensure that these exchanges are not left to chance but are nurtured by a delicate body of experts from our higher education institutions, our chambers of commerce, and the Indian-American community itself.”