New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has intensified India’s investment outreach in the United States, meeting senior executives from major American companies and highlighting opportunities to expand their operations, manufacturing, sourcing and investments in India.

During his ongoing US visit, Goyal held discussions with representatives of Target, Mondelez International, Aon, Cognition, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Nike. His meetings covered a wide range of sectors, including retail, consumer goods, professional services, artificial intelligence, food processing and manufacturing.

The minister’s outreach comes as India and the US continue negotiations on trade while both sides seek to strengthen commercial ties. Goyal is in the US until October 5 and has been engaging with government officials, businesses, investors and other stakeholders during the visit.

Target urged to expand sourcing from India

One of Goyal’s meetings was with Grant McGee, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer of Target, the major US retailer.

The discussions focused on how Target could make greater use of India’s expanding manufacturing capabilities under the government’s Make in India initiative. Goyal also discussed opportunities for the company to deepen its presence in India and increase sourcing from the country.

India has increasingly sought to position itself as a manufacturing and sourcing base for international companies as businesses diversify their supply chains. For companies with large global operations, greater sourcing from India could potentially connect them with the country’s manufacturing ecosystem while also serving the domestic market.

Goyal’s pitch to Target therefore centred on both sides of the opportunity — expanding the company’s footprint in India and using Indian suppliers as part of its wider global sourcing network.

Mondelez explores manufacturing and investment opportunities

Goyal also met Amit Banati, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Mondelez International, the global food and snacks company.

The minister discussed the company’s long presence in India and opportunities to expand manufacturing, sourcing and investment activities. Mondelez has operated in India for around seven decades, giving the company an established base in the country’s large consumer market.

Goyal highlighted India’s rising consumption and investment-led reforms while making the case for global consumer companies to use the country as a platform for future growth.

For food and consumer-product companies, India’s large population and expanding consumption market offer opportunities extending beyond manufacturing. The country’s agricultural supply chains, food-processing capabilities and growing demand for packaged products are also important parts of the investment proposition.

AI and technology form part of India’s pitch

Artificial intelligence was another important area of Goyal’s discussions in the US.

The minister met Paul Grewal, Chief Legal and Global Affairs Officer at Cognition, an artificial intelligence company. Their discussions covered opportunities to use Cognition’s AI solutions and deepen the company’s presence in India.

Goyal highlighted India’s engineering talent, technology ecosystem and startup culture as potential strengths for developing and deploying next-generation technologies.

The focus on AI reflects the broader transformation of India’s investment pitch. While manufacturing and traditional industries remain important, the government is increasingly seeking investment in technology-intensive sectors that can create high-skilled employment and strengthen India’s position in global innovation networks.

India’s large pool of engineers and technology professionals is also being presented as an advantage for companies looking to develop, test and deploy new digital technologies.

Aon talks focus on talent and business services

Goyal also held discussions with Greg Case, CEO of professional services company Aon.

The meeting covered Aon’s operations in India and opportunities for further expansion. Goyal highlighted India’s capabilities as a hub for talent, innovation and business services and pointed to the potential for deeper commercial partnerships between Indian and US companies.

India’s services sector has long attracted US companies, particularly in areas such as information technology, financial services, consulting and business-process operations.

The government’s investment pitch is now increasingly focused on moving beyond traditional outsourcing towards higher-value activities involving technology, innovation, research and professional services.

For companies such as Aon, India’s talent pool can support operations serving both the domestic market and international clients.

ADM discussions focus on food processing

In Chicago, Goyal met Juan Ricardo Luciano, Chair of the Board and CEO of Archer Daniels Midland.

The discussions focused on opportunities for ADM to expand its presence and investments in India. Goyal highlighted India’s rapidly expanding food-processing sector, modernising agricultural value chains and large consumer market as areas offering potential for long-term collaboration.

Food processing has emerged as an important area of India’s investment strategy because of its links with agriculture, manufacturing, logistics and consumer demand.

Modernising agricultural value chains can also create opportunities for companies involved in storage, processing, distribution and food technology.

Goyal’s engagement with ADM therefore reflects India’s attempt to attract investment across the entire food and agriculture ecosystem rather than focusing only on individual manufacturing projects.

Nike urged to deepen India engagement

The minister also met senior executives from Nike, including Chief Operating Officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy, Chief Legal Officer Rob Leinwand and Chief Government and Public Affairs Officer Jorge Casimiro.

The discussions covered opportunities to build on Nike’s engagement with India and deepen its presence across manufacturing, local sourcing and the broader sports ecosystem.

India’s large consumer market provides an important opportunity for international sports and lifestyle brands. At the same time, the country has sought to strengthen domestic manufacturing and supply chains in sectors ranging from footwear and textiles to sporting goods.

The Nike engagement consequently formed part of Goyal’s broader effort to connect India’s domestic market with its manufacturing and export potential.

Investment outreach comes amid trade negotiations

Goyal’s meetings with US companies are taking place against the backdrop of continuing India-US trade negotiations.

During his visit, Goyal has also been involved in discussions aimed at advancing an interim trade agreement between the two countries. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said earlier that negotiations were in their final phase, although important issues remained to be resolved.

The investment outreach and trade negotiations are closely connected because companies make investment decisions based on access to markets, supply-chain conditions, tariffs and regulatory certainty.

For India, attracting greater US investment can complement efforts to expand exports and integrate Indian businesses into global supply chains. For American companies, deeper investment in India can provide access to one of the world’s major consumer markets while creating a base for regional and global operations.

India highlights manufacturing and consumer growth

A recurring theme in Goyal’s meetings has been India’s combination of manufacturing capacity, consumer demand and skilled talent.

The minister has sought to present India as a location where international companies can manufacture products, source components, develop technology and serve a growing domestic market.

The message has also extended to emerging sectors such as AI and data infrastructure. During his Chicago visit, Goyal told Indian-Americans that India’s low-cost clean energy, nationwide power grid, relatively inexpensive data and large technology talent pool could make the country attractive for global data-centre investments.

This broader investment pitch suggests that India is seeking capital across both established industries and emerging technologies.

No major investment announcements yet

While Goyal’s meetings have opened discussions with several major US companies, the NDTV Profit report does not indicate any specific new investment commitments or financial pledges from the companies involved.

The immediate objective of the meetings appears to be encouraging companies with existing operations or business relationships in India to expand their engagement.

Whether the discussions result in new factories, sourcing contracts, technology investments or expanded services operations will depend on subsequent decisions by the companies.

This distinction is important because investment outreach does not necessarily translate into immediate capital commitments. Companies typically evaluate market conditions, costs, regulations, supply chains and expected demand before announcing major expansion plans.

India seeks deeper US corporate participation

Goyal’s US outreach highlights India’s effort to attract American investment across a broad range of sectors. From Target’s sourcing and manufacturing interests to Mondelez’s consumer business, Cognition’s AI capabilities, Aon’s professional services and ADM’s food-processing opportunities, the discussions covered areas that are central to India’s economic expansion.

The meetings also come at an important stage in India-US economic relations, with trade negotiations continuing alongside efforts to increase two-way business engagement.

For India, the challenge now is to convert investment interest into concrete projects, higher sourcing from Indian suppliers, technology partnerships and long-term expansion.

As Goyal’s US visit continues, further discussions with American businesses and policymakers could shape the next phase of India-US commercial relations. The outcome of those engagements will be closely watched for signs of new investment commitments and deeper integration between the two economies.