Obama-Modi: USIndia Summit.

SannamS4 CEO Participates

January 2526th 2015, New Delhi. Written by Sannam S4 CEO Adrian Mutton
As I sat just a few feet across from Indias progressive new Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the United States President
Barack Obama, in a hotel conference room in New Delhi, I could not but think about the words spoken by the great statesman
Jawaharlal Nehru at Indias point of Independence. He addressed his new Republic saying that India had made a tryst with
destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. A
moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, then an age ends and when the
soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.
It was befitting, that on the day India celebrated its 66th anniversary of independence, at a time when the country was once
again faced with an opportunity to redeem its pledge that this years Republic Day celebration would be attended by the
President of the United States as the guest of honor.
During the 23 years I have been actively involved in India, many conversations with friends and colleagues have been centered
on their feeling that India was under-achieving, that it had much unfulfilled potential. Questions were asked about how China
had managed to break the shackles of under-development in such a brief time and why the world didn't really take India seriously. Barring a few years of high growth economy in the early to mid 2000's, which was then squandered away by a largely
ineffective coalition government, blighted with accusations of corruption, policy paralysis and serious mismanagement, India
has indeed not lived up to its full potential.
In April 2014, leading up to the nations general election in May, the rupee was at an all time low and a diplomatic spat with
the U.S. meant that government relations between the countries had also reached rock bottom. For some, it was hard to see,
post election, how the U.S. and India would get back on track, given that both are proud nations and unlikely to yield ground.
U.S. business leaders were struggling to see the upside in India and were focusing their attentions elsewhere and so it looked
like U.S. India relations could be in the wilderness for years to come. A bleak outlook indeed!
It was at this time, however, that I took the decision for Sannam S4 to become a member of the US India Business Council
(www.usibc.com), a bilateral trade organization promoting business interests between the countries. This may have seemed a
strange decision to some at the time, as the entry cost is quite high for a relatively small organization like Sannam S4 and the
profile of its members are largely Fortune 500s; not our typical client base -although we are proud to be serving an increasing
number of them!
When I reflected long and hard about the India U.S. relationship, I had a strong feeling that both parties would put its tribulations behind them and rebuild. I wanted Sannam S4 to be at the heart of a new beginning. Whilst my foresight, I am delighted
to say, has proven to be correct, what I had not envisaged was the speed and the vigor with which the relationship would be re
-kindled. India and the U.S are very much on course to be the defining relationship of the 21st century as President Barack
Obama predicted it would be during his first visit to India in 2010.
What has led the turn around? Primarily, two leaders, with a clear vision of how each others nations could play a vital role in
the others economic, social and political future and two men, who have struck a genuine and public friendship, something Narendra Modi said he had learnt was key to developing any sort of strong bilateral ties between nations. This kinship, combined
with some business to business and business to government engagement by the US India Business Council, pre the India elections in May 2014 and no doubt considerable efforts from the U.S. State Department saw the tide turn dramatically.
In early to mid 2014, the US India Business Council were building a bridge for officials and business leaders from both sides to
at least continue to communicate. Once a new Indian government was in place, the USIBC, under the leadership of Acting President Diane Farrell and Chairman Ajay Banga, quickly and energetically built a platform from which India and the U.S. could
launch its new relationship, leaving no stone unturned, no detail overlooked, engaging all their members as they progressed.
That launch, was the re-visit of President Barack Obama [today].
As a part Secretary of State John Kerrys delegation during his visit to India in mid January, I was given the opportunity to provide my inputs into how to further strengthen U.S. India ties, particularly in the SME/MME and education and skills space.
Continued..

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Obama-Modi: USIndia Business summit. Jan. 25th26th 2015, New Delhi

At the end of an intense few days I was told to make myself available for the Presidents visit. No sooner had I landed in Europe after the Kerry trip, had I received a welcome suggestion that I should turn around (I was heading to the World Economic Forum in Davos) and head back to New Delhi.
For four days, India was blanketed with wall to wall coverage of President Obamas visit. Every single newspaper, TV news
channel, radio station and countless billboards, flags and posters were celebrating the visit. For India, this is unique. It is the
first time a sitting U.S. President has visited India twice, it is the first time a U.S. President has been guest of honour at the Republic Day parade and it is the first time the two premiers of the nations have met twice within a six month period (Modi was
in the U.S. in September 2014).
Surrounding the visit were numerous televised business and political events. I was attending a live debate aired by CNN-IBN in
India on the Sunday morning President Obama was due to land. The debate dramatically paused for the announcement that
Air Force One had touched down on Indian soil. There were several more such events across the capital during the weekend
as experts from a range of fields discussed their views on what this trip could mean.
The two main events I focused on, were the CEO Forum, which was attended by a very small number of leading business figures from India and the U.S. and the U.S. India Business Summit, which hosted a larger group of leaders from both countries.
Both were held on Republic Day (26th January) in New Delhi with President Obama and Prime Minister Modi giving detailed
addresses on their views of greater economic and trade co-operation.
Sitting between me and the President of the United States at the Summit were Bob Iger, Global CEO of Disney, Indira Nooyi
Global Chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo, Arne Sorenson CEO of Marriott Hotels, Ajay Banga, Global CEO of MasterCard Worldwide. A strong roll call....Sannam S4 included, of course!
President Obama spoke of how India only represented 1% of all U.S. exports and only 2% of its imports. This was a statistic we
were all taken aback with and one which underlines the Presidents words, much untapped potential of the relationship. He
compared the bilateral trade between the U.S. and India of $100bn annually with the $560bn bilateral trade the U.S. does with
China saying there was much to do. Committing the total support of his entire administration, the President pledged that
the US Export-Import Bank would finance $1-billion worth of exports of Made in America Products, he said in addition, the
Overseas Private Investment Corporation will lend $1 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises in under-served rural areas
of India while the US Trade and Development Agency would leverage $2 billion for renewable energy in India. Both President
Obama and Prime Minister Modi stated that the long awaited nuclear deal between the countries had been done, opening
significant opportunity for Westinghouse and GE and their respective supply chains, he also said that bilateral trade would increase five fold to $500bn by 2020.The President left no doubt that this relationship was not only back on track, but that it
would fulfill his prediction of being the defining relationship of the 21 st Century.
Prime Minister Modi spoke of his commitment to having India move from being the current 142 nd of 189 most difficult place of
doing business in the World Banks annual study to getting in the top 50 and even one day, being the number one! He said his
government was already committed to reducing red tape, removing bureaucracy and providing a welcoming environment for
foreign investors. He said that he was personally monitoring, on a daily basis, the investment into the country and any obstacles businesses were facing so that he could understand them and act on them. In 23 years of doing business in India, I have
never heard such attention to business detail. The acceptance from an Indian Prime Minister that business is good and has a
key role to play in the countrys development and in improving the prospects of all its citizens is utterly refreshing and highly
encouraging.
I took great pride in learning that some of the specific points I had tabled were included in the agenda of the CEO Forum,
chaired by the President and Prime Minister and attended by a number of the worlds most senior businesses leaders. My decision to miss Davos had been justified.
It was quite a surreal experience to be so close to President Obama and Prime Minister Modi and the attending global business
heads, but I was not once made to feel out of place. I was encouraged throughout the visit, as I was with Secretary Kerrys, that
my inputs and suggestions around the practicalities of doing business in India for a U.S. organization, the realities of what it
takes to succeed, policy aside, and how to build the right foundations, were not only listened to, but also tabled and discussed
for follow up.
Continued...

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Obama-Modi: USIndia Business summit. Jan. 25th26th 2015, New Delhi

With the endorsements gratefully received, my task is now to turn my recommendations into deliverables and continue to play
my small part in helping both the U.S. and India realize the ambition Jawaharlal Nehru suggested his new nation should strive
for and so many now believe is within reach. Plans have already been made for my trip to Washington D.C. in a few weeks to
do so.

This report was written by Adrian Mutton, Founder and CEO of Sannam S4 a leading market entry firm assisting international
organizations to establish and expand in India, Brazil and China.

Follow Adrian Mutton on Twitter: @adrianmutton

Contact him at: adrian.mutton@sannams4.com

Find out more about why Sannam S4 is at the heart of U.S. India trade activity at: www.sannams4.com

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