Governor Gianforte, U.S. Ambassador to India Discuss Shared Priorities in New Delhi

Governor's Office

NEW DEHLI, India - Starting his strategic trade mission in India, Governor Greg Gianforte today met with U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor in Delhi to discuss shared priorities to strengthen the partnership between India and Montana.

"As we embark on this mission, we carry not only Montana's long history of friendship with India, but also a commitment to building the next chapter of shared growth," Gov. Gianforte said. "Under President Trump's leadership, Ambassador Gor is ensuring expanded trade and stronger strategic and defense cooperation between the United States and India and Montana is proud to play a role."

"Governor Gianforte understands that the U.S.-India partnership is about delivering real results for the American people," Ambassador Gor said. "There are tremendous opportunities for Indian companies to invest and create jobs in states like Montana, and for Montana businesses to find new opportunities here in India. That is the kind of win-win partnership we want to continue building."

Gov. Gianforte, First Lady Gianforte, and Ambassador Gor meeting with members of the Montana delegation at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi

The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi is the official diplomatic mission of the United States to India and plays a key role in strengthening the U.S.-India relationship. A major area of cooperation between the countries is through security and defense as well as through economic ties. In 2024, trade between the countries reached $212.3 billion.

India is one of the world's fastest growing economies, posting a real GDP growth of 7.8 percent in the first quarter of 2026. It is currently the fifth largest economy in the world and is projected to be the third by early 2030.

During a meeting held at the embassy, the governor and members of the delegation underscored Montana as an ideal place for business expansion and investment from India companies in mining, agriculture, photonics, bioscience, and advanced manufacturing. Montana has a strong history of mining with exports of coal, copper, and critical minerals and is home to one of the largest clusters of photonics and optics companies in the U.S. with investment from around the world, as well as one of only five quantum network testbeds worldwide.

As the top producer of pulse crops in the United States, Montana officials also communicated a commitment to providing quality crops to meet India's growing demand. India is the world's largest consumer and importer of pulse crops. In 2025, India was Montana's 29th largest trading partner, purchasing over $14 million in peas, lentils, and chickpeas, and commercial aircraft parts. Advocating for Montana producers, Gov. Gianforte and Montana Agriculture Director Jillien Streit discussed the desire for fair and stable markets.

"Montana's pulse growers lead the nation not just because of the hard work and resilience of our family farms, but because we grow a world-class product," Director Streit said. "Establishing and expanding dependable international trade markets - especially with key global partners like India - is vital to ensuring that our producers have stable, long-term demand for their crops."

In addition to strategic functions such as defense and trade, the embassy also supports building strong people-to-people connections through educational and cultural exchange programs. India is home to one of the largest youth populations globally, with approximately 10 percent of the world's high school students. Every year, the embassy helps to facilitate the transfer of hundreds of Indians to the U.S. on various exchange programs.

Highlighting opportunities to partner in academia, the governor and Montana State University President Brock Tessman and Executive Director Deena Mansour from the Mansfield Center at the University of Montana discussed priorities to deepen research and student exchanges in agriculture and technology.

"We want our students to be champions for Montana, and when it comes to addressing challenges in vital fields such as precision agriculture and cybersecurity, students are going to need to think and collaborate on a global scale. I hope this visit starts conversations that continue long into the future and opens doors to partnerships that'll let our Montana students and researchers work with others around the world to solve the big questions together," President Tessman said.

The governor's strategic mission today included several meetings with ministerial and industry leaders and continues tomorrow in New Delhi.

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