Underscoring the importance of investing in people and communities, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla emphasized that globalization should promote “shared prosperity,” rather than function as a “zero-sum game.”

Speaking at the 2025 U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Leadership Summit on June 2 at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., Birla stated, “Our commitment, frankly, is beyond just capital. We are investing in people, and we are investing in communities and long-term impact. That’s how we operate everywhere in the world,” adding “Frankly, this is how globalization should be, not a zero-sum game, but as shared prosperity.”

During the summit, USISPF presented the 2025 Global Leadership Awards to Birla, IBM Chairman Arvind Krishna, and Hitachi CEO Toshiaki Higashihara, in recognition of their efforts to strengthen the U.S.-India relationship.

“Our actions and our investments only reveal our deep-rooted commitment to the US and to the broader US-India partnership,” said Birla, expressing gratitude to the 5,400 American employees he called the “quiet force” behind his organization’s success. “Their dedication anchors our presence here in the United States,” he noted.

Accepting the leadership award, Birla said the honor serves as a powerful reminder of the “extraordinary potential of the India-US partnership.”

“We believe that the United States is an incredibly attractive location for long-term investment, and we are very proud to be the largest Indian investor in the US,” he said. 

Birla highlighted the company’s journey, which began 18 years ago with the acquisition of a then loss-making aluminum rolling company, Novelis. Today, Novelis is a $18 billion enterprise with an annual capacity of 4.1 million tons. It is the world’s largest aluminum recycling company, processing 82 billion cans each year.

Birla pointed to an ongoing $4.1 billion project in Bay Minette, Alabama, where the group is building a state-of-the-art integrated aluminum rolling mill. “This 3,000-acre project is a testament to our ambition. This is the largest greenfield venture in any location, anywhere on the planet,” he said. “We chose America because we believe in the strength, in the stability, and promise of this nation. This is the biggest industrial bet ever placed in Alabama’s history.”

He added, “In my view, the United States and India represent the two most dynamic economies in the world today. For us, the permanent bets, as we call it at the Aditya Birla group, both are driven by innovation, talent, and the sheer force of entrepreneurial ambition.”

Birla also emphasized the growing synergies between India and the United States across trade, technology, and manufacturing are important for a more prosperous global future.

USISPF President and CEO Mukesh Aghi noted that Birla has been associated with the Birla Group for 30 years and has grown the group’s turnover by 30 times. He highlighted the Aditya Birla Group’s $15 billion investment in the U.S., as well as its broader community outreach, which touches over 11 million people annually. 

“The Birla group’s culture is very accepting” he said that the group has been looking out for the welfare not only of its employees, but of communities at large, he added. 

Turning to IBM Chairman Krishna, another award recipient, Aghi praised Krishna’s leadership during the COVID-19 crisis. He recalled contacting Krishna to help transport 100,000 oxygen concentrators to India. Later, Krishna and Aghi, reached out to FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam, who offered company planes to ship the equipment from China. When direct shipments were blocked, alternate logistics were arranged via Japan.

“Arvind was one of the biggest fundraisers for us from that perspective,” said Aghi. “Now Arvind also has focused a lot on building the US-India partnership. He has committed to invest $150 billion in the U.S. to continue innovating and expanding manufacturing.”

In his acceptance speech, Krishna remarked, “These things are never done in isolation,” expressing gratitude to his IBM colleagues, U.S. and Indian partners, and the support of both governments. “This is really what allows the companies to flourish in the global ecosystem… I am very optimistic about where growth is going in the future,” he added.

Hitachi CEO Higashihara, the third honoree, reflected on the company’s long-standing relationship with India. “Having first established a presence in India in 1933, Hitachi has enjoyed a rich and enduring relationship with the country. India offers Hitachi a tremendous wealth of deep technical talent, and Hitachi brings a broad spectrum of solutions to India, from Mobility to Energy Infrastructure, to Software and Services,” he said. 

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