Thaindian News

Hyderabad, Nov 28 (IANS) US’ Maryland Governor Martin Joseph O’Malley Monday invited Indian companies to invest in new economy sectors and help create more jobs in his state.

Kicking off his India visit, O’Malley pitched hard for investment into sectors like life sciences, biotechnology, information technology, particularly cyber security, in which Maryland is already strong.

Addressing industrialists at a meeting organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), he said with its central location, highly skilled work force and world class infrastructure, Maryland offers a huge opportunity to Indian investors.

“No other state (in the United States) has this combination of location, work force and world class facility,” said O’Malley, who is leading 100-member delegation on this visit.

He pointed out that last year, exports from Maryland to India increased by 10 percent.

Maryland is number one in public schools among all states in the US, he noted. “We are proud of this ranking. We believe investment in education investment in our economic development of our people.”

O’Malley, who is the first sitting governor of Maryland to visit India, said his state was home to some of the leading universities, which are producing highly skilled workforce. “We have more PhDs per capita than any other state in the union,” he said.

He described Maryland as the gateway to one of the largest medical markets in the world and said the state was home to research and regulatory offices of federal agencies.

The governor said with its strengths in new economy sectors like life sciences, biotechnology and IT, Maryland was creating jobs even in the recession and recovered fast compared to other states.