Gov. Eric Holcomb will lead an economic development trip to Qatar with a goal of increasing Indiana’s international engagement and cultivating new business relationships in the Middle East.
“(Indiana Commerce) Secretary Brad Chambers and I are energized and excited to build and further strengthen Indiana’s global connections through economic, educational and cultural ties,” Holcomb said. “We look forward to building this relationship through discussions with a wide variety of government officials and industry leaders during our visit and expect this trip to further cultural connections and economic cooperation between our two states in innovative sectors across the board.”
Holcomb and Chambers were scheduled to leave July 5 and return July 9.
Indiana is 12th largest U.S. exporter to Qatar. State officials say Qatar has placed an increased focus on several strategic priorities that align closely with Indiana, including infrastructure, education and sports.
In addition to large-scale sporting events, Indiana is home to a thriving sports economy and will use connections made on the Qatar trip to explore possible collaborations and partnerships.
Holcomb and Chambers will meet with government officials and global business leaders in Doha, Qatar’s capital, to promote Indiana as a top destination for innovation, investment, and jobs, and to discuss opportunities to encourage future economic cooperation.
Indiana is home to more than 1,050 foreign-owned business establishments that support more than 215,800 Hoosier jobs across the state, with foreign direct investment to the state increasing by 300% between 2016 and 2019, the state said. In 2020, amid the pandemic, 36 foreign-owned businesses committed to invest $1.85 billion to locate or grow in Indiana and create up to 5,228 new jobs over the next several years.
