The heart of New York City is hurting for those in Mumbai. The scope of the tragedy is different, but the pain is no less than what New York City experienced during the September 11th terror attacks. Forbes.com spoke with the Vice Chairman of one of India’s largest banks who echoed that sentiment. Uday Kotak of Kotak Mahindra Bank told Forbes, “This is India’s 9/11. It’s a great shame.”
As CNN covered the developing story of the terror attacks in Mumbai, the words, ” This was India’s 9/11,” was repeatedly spoken by commentators, witnesses and news people alike. It’s not just the terror aspect of the tragedy that is upsetting, but the reality that there are a flood of U-S companies and multinational corporations doing business in India.
In our 24/7 high-tech global marketplace we are more interconnected than ever before. That reality makes this tragedy one with no cultural or nationalistic boundries. The deadly events have prompted swift action from some American companies with workers in Mumbai.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Delta Airlines is actively checking with its employees in Mumbai and “working to bring them home safely.” Dow Jones is reporting that a number of global high-tech companies are scrambling to find their employees and secure their safety. Google, Hewlett Packard, and Microsoft are not reporting any casualties as of this writing.
Next week a contingent of American companies and members of the U-S India Business Council are scheduled to tour India. It’s part of a fact-finding mission regarding nuclear commerce. About 30 companies are looking to do business with India. The tour includes a stop in Mumbai, but that might change in the wake of the terror attacks. You can read more about this in an article on The Hindu News Update Service.
A microscopic look at the security concerns in India is currently underway. Reports that the terrorists were targeting Americans and Brits might give westerners pause before taking a job there. With the ensuing chaos, global companies operating in Mumbai have new concerns. The saftey of their workers.
Such violence is not new to India, but the seemingly protected terrain of Mumbai as India’s financial capital and the home of the Taj Mahal have now become the soft targets of terrorists. Big business already learned that nothing is sacred or spared after 9/11. The deadly events in India are another reminder.
