Ramesh Babu, the Consul General of India at Atlanta, visited Huntsville and North Alabama on May 5-6.

He made a number of stops to meet with various local business and community leaders. Among other responsibilities, the Consul General acts as a liaison between business owners in the US and contacts, in both government and private industry, in India.

Babu serves the states and territories of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. He assumed his current position in November 2023.

On the morning of May 6, Babu’s tour of North Alabama took him to the offices of PROJECTXYZ.

PROJECTXYZ began as a defense company over 20 years ago. It has since expanded its services to include research and development, alternative energy, broadcast media, and manufacturing.

Larry Lewis, president of PROJECTXYZ, delivered a presentation to Babu and his team.

Lewis explained that PROJECTXYZ is currently working to modernize the maintenance process on their missile defense systems.

Ahmed Amer, an engineer at PROJECTXYZ, demonstrated to Babu and his team how reconceptualized maintenance systems utilize machine learning to more efficiently train soldiers as they enter the field. Maintenance systems have also been updated to match the increased technological capabilities of a younger generation of warfighters.

Babu provided a striking example of what a successful business partnership between India and the US can look like by pointing to the recent investment by the Indian company Novelis into Baldwin County, Alabama.

Novelis produces aluminum for use in the automotive, aerospace, and beverage industries. In 2022, Mumbai-based Novelis made a multibillion-dollar commitment to Alabama when they broke ground on an aluminum mill 30 minutes northeast of Mobile. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is expected to begin production in 2025.

Dr. Santanu Borah, a professor of business at the University of North Alabama, accompanied the Consul General on his visit to PROJECTXYZ. Borah explained that one of the primary reasons for Babu’s visit to North Alabama was to make connections with local business owners and build bridges of mutual understanding.

“It’s like planting a seed,” said Borah.

Babu encouraged interested Huntsville business owners to identify areas where their needs and goals might complement segments of India’s economy. Once those initial commonalities have been named, Babu is able to reach out to government and industry partners in India and determine if mutually agreeable terms can be reached.

PROJECTXYZ’s leadership team seemed pleased with the discussions that took place on Monday morning with the Consul General.

“I think it’s always good when we have an opportunity to display what we have in our community, from a technology and business standpoint, to our foreign partners who come to the United States,” said President Larry Lewis. “And also [have the opportunity to] learn more about their culture and what is going on in their countries. For those of us who are looking to expand globally, it is always good to make those ties and those connections.”

Babu told the Huntsville Business Journal that his term is expected to last three years.

The office of the Consul General of India at Atlanta can be reached online here. For more information about PROJECTXYZ, please visit www.projectxyz.com.