SPRINGFIELD – Senators welcomed Indian Consul General Sudhakar Dalela to Springfield today as he delivered an address that covered trade relations, economic development and the shared democratic values between the United States and India.

“As vibrant democracies, India and the U.S. share many common values and aspirations,” Dalela said. “Our partnership is based on our shared values, such as respect for rule of law, human freedom, free and independent media, and a strong civil society.”

Preserving trade relations with the United States was the focal point of Dalela’s speech. Last year the bilateral trade agreements between the U.S. and India were valued at $140 billion. The two nations are also engaged in a regional security partnership to protect U.S. and Indian interests in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing cybersecurity and maritime cooperation.

Illinois in particular greatly benefits from current U.S.-Indian relations. Over 100 Illinois-based companies have locations in India, and Illinois exports roughly $723 million in goods to India.

Sudhakar Dalela has served in the Indian Foreign Service since 1993 and has been stationed in Israel, Brazil, Switzerland, Bangladesh and Washington, D.C. before serving the Midwest in Chicago. Before his work in the Indian Foreign Service, Dalela was a representative for the Permanent Mission of India to the World Trade Organization, a Director in the Prime Minister’s Office and a Joint Secretary overseeing India’s relations with Bhutan and Nepal.