What sorts of things are Minnesota companies doing in India?
3M, Medtronic, and Target all have a strong presence. Target has offices in India for buying products that are imported here. While I was in Mumbai, the International Decision Systems transaction was announced, and Best Buy was negotiating to find a retail consumer electronics partner. Should individuals be hesitant to invest directly into Indian companies? Yes, I would be very careful about individual investing. The marketplace is very volatile. The markets, as I’ve said, are good markets, but they are not deep, highly liquid markets, and that enhances the volatility factor. Certain companies over there are very strong—those that are well regarded nationally and internationally. Those would be the type of companies in which I would invest. What do Indian companies want from Minnesota companies? Indian companies produce products for the global economy and are most interested in trading with Minnesota-based entities possessing manufacturing capabilities and access to natural resources.
