One of the first tolls that the Mumbai terror attack has taken on the growing US-India business alliances has been on the Kentucky World Trade Center that was to lead a large trade delegation to India next month.
The not-for-profit organisation that helps companies in the region to do business worldwide, including in China, has decided to prune its delegation thanks to the Mumbai terror attack.
Ahead of the mission KWTC vice president Ying Juan Rogers promised that despite the terror attack the KWTC would continue its plans for its first ever trade mission to Indian in late February.
She said that KWTC was committed more than ever to the fostering of commercial ties between Kentucky and India because 'whatever happens, business must go on.'
But last week Rogers did an about turn when she said she was not sure the full-fledged trip would materialize. "We hoped they would not, but a lot of people have backed out following the Mumbai terror attack. People do not say that in as many words but I suspect that (terror attack) to be one of the main reasons," Rogers told this correspondent in response to a question.
The delegation was to meet with business and government leaders both in New Delhi and Mumbai, coinciding with the Innovative Technologies for manufacturing Expo 2009, an international B2B exhibition and conference, India's largest trade show focusing in agro& food processing, auto components and chemicals and fertilizers as well as electronics and electrical engineering.