Ivanka Trump's India visit raises questions about her brand

Ivanka Trump described the hurdles faced by women during a speech at a business conference in India, which is treating her trip like a royal visit.

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Trump's speech Tuesday at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in the southern city of Hyderabad was broadcast live throughout India by major news channels. A buildup worthy of a Bollywood musical included cultural references that ranged from independence leader Mahatma Gandhi to the movie "Slumdog Millionaire."


"As a former entrepreneur, employer, and executive in a male-dominated industry, I've seen firsthand that all too often women must do more than their male counterparts to prove themselves at work, while also disproportionately caring for their families at home," Trump said in her speech.

But the conference's focus on female entrepreneurs raises questions about some of the commercial decisions made by Trump and her namesake brand.



"After my father's election, I saw an opportunity to leave my businesses for the privilege of serving our country, and empowering all Americans to succeed," she said in the speech.

Her father praised her speech, saying "Great work Ivanka!" in a tweet late Tuesday in which he shared a U.S. State Department video of her remarks.

Abigail Klem, president of the Ivanka Trump brand, has called supply chain integrity "a top priority," but the brand has not joined the growing number of companies that publicly identify their manufacturers.



They also urged Trump and her brand to publicly demand that the Chinese government not prosecute three activists detained this past summer while investigating the brand's supply chain, and allow independent monitoring of factories.

Trump was joined at Tuesday's conference by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"What you are achieving here is truly extraordinary," Trump said. "From your childhood selling tea to your election as India's prime minister, you've proven that transformational change is possible."


"This event showcases the close ties between the United States of America and India," Modi said. "It underlines our shared commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation."

Trump did not spend a lot of time during her speech discussing U.S. politics, although she did say the administration was "laser focused on passing long overdue tax cuts."




"It's cool that she's coming," said Amani Bhugati, a medical student, before the speech. "She's glamorous, beautiful and powerful. It's like a combination of Hollywood and politics."

Others marveled at the improvements made around Hyderabad. "All new," said Gopal, a taxi driver who gave only his first name.

But he also pointed to the potholes that remain on many smaller streets. "She's not coming here, so they didn't fix it," he said.

More than 1,200 people were attending the three-day conference, although not everyone was thrilled about Trump's presence.

"It's now being called Ivanka Trump's summit. It totally overshadows all our work," said Sangeeta Agarawal, the chief executive of U.S. startup Helpsy Health. "We feel that's it become more about her."

The annual entrepreneurship conference has a theme this year of "Women first, prosperity for all," and involves networking, mentoring and workshops.



Associated Press writer Erika Kinetz in Shanghai contributed to this report.