US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj discussed here women empowerment and the upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad.
Ivanka Trump, who has the official title of Adviser to the President, tweeted afterwards: "I have long respected India's accomplished and charismatic Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, and it was an honour to meet her today."
"We had a great discussion on women entrepreneurship, the upcoming GES2017 and workforce development in the US and India," she tweeted after the Monday meeting.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that they also discussed women empowerment and social issues.
Holding the GES in India was agreed upon by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the White House in June and Trump announced his daughter would lead the US delegation.
"Women First, Prosperity for All" is the theme of the GES to be held in November, an appropriate topic for Ivanka Trump, who is an entrepreneur in her own right having started her own line of jewellery, handbags, shoes and other fashion accessories, besides working in her father's real estate business.
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US State Department spokesperson for South Asian media, Helaena White, called the GES "a further sign of our broad and enduring partnership".
"The event will highlight India's enabling environment for innovation and entrepreneurship, including actions by the government to increase the ease of doing business, eliminating unnecessary regulations and supporting startups," White told IANS.
About its focus on women, she said: "Women represent tremendous promise for economic growth and prosperity -- but in both developing and developed countries, also face tremendous barriers to building businesses."
More than 1,000 emerging entrepreneurs, investors and supporters from around the world are expected at the GES.
Ivanka Trump was behind the creation of the World Bank fund for women entrepreneurs, which has a target of making $1 billion for women entrepreneurs.
She has also advocated for equal pay for women and improving work conditions for women.
(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
--IANS
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