U.S. Architects Explore Design Opportunities in India

Architectural Record, Nov. 1, 2012

In mid-October, more than 30 architects flew from points around the U.S. to Chennai, India, where they began a five-day, three-city trade mission organized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The purpose of the mission was to encourage the export of American architectural services to India, whose government plans to invest $1 trillion in infrastructure between now and 2017.

Participating architects visited Chennai, Kolkata, and Bangalore. They met developers and government officials to learn about business opportunities and networked with local architects to discuss potential partnerships. (Indian regulations require that foreign architects partner with local firms.) High-potential sectors include master planning, transportation, and healthcare.

The AIA began organizing the mission with the Commerce Department more than a year ago, says Jessica Salmoiraghi, the AIA’s director of federal relations.

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