As India and the United States continue to deepen strategic and economic ties, stronger engagement between industries, institutions, and global stakeholders is becoming increasingly important for the future of international trade and agricultural collaboration.

Nuts and Dry Fruits Council (India) was honoured to be invited and represented by Col. Nitin Sehgal, Vishisht Seva Medal (Veteran), CEO, NDFC(I), alongside DFN industry leaders and partners including Sumit Saran (Strat Sure Associates Private Limited), Raju Bhatia and Dinika Bhatia (California Agri Nuts Corporation), Devna Khanna and Shiven Khanna (i2i Consulting), and Mufaddal Yusuf (TAJIR PRIVATE LIMITED), at the special reception hosted by H.E. Mr. Sergio Gor, U.S. Ambassador to India, in the presence of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior dignitaries, commemorating 250 years of America.

The evening also featured the presence of and an address by Shri S. Jaishankar, Hon’ble External Affairs Minister of India, highlighting the growing strategic partnership and evolving economic engagement between India and the United States.

At a time when global conversations around trade, food systems, nutrition, and supply chains are evolving rapidly, such interactions hold growing relevance for India’s nuts & dry fruits sector, particularly as India continues to emerge as one of the world’s fastest-growing consumption markets for almonds, walnuts, pistachios, dates, and other healthy snacking categories. Stronger India–U.S. engagement can create meaningful opportunities across trade, market access, category expansion, consumption awareness, and long-term industry collaboration.