Trade Missions between India and US will rise in the next few months with more and more US companies scouting for business opportunities in India.

Dale Tasharski, Deputy Commercial Conselor, US Commercial Service said companies in the South Florida region, which targetted business with Latin American countries, were looking at opportunities in India undergoing a new dimension in consumerism.

"We hope to see more business missions organised by sector specific industries, chambers and associations in the next 9 months," Tasharski said.

Companies were scouting for business opportunities in telecom, high technology instruments, aviation, defence equipment, agro-business and healthcare sectors, he said.

In the eastern region, the US companies were looking for collaboration in food processing, packaging, energy and medicine. Looking at the growing interest among the US investors, the US Embassy had set up a separate commercial service department in the Consulate in Kolkata to examine the business prospects in the region.

Gauging the interest of businessmen in the eastern region for business in US, city based Indian Chamber of Commerce is also planning a delegation visit to US on June end.

The delegation comprising real estate, agro and food industry representatives will visit Detroit between June 28-30. The visit has been planned on the occasion of World Bengali Conference in US during that time.

The chamber has requested Commerce and Industry Minister Nirupam Sen, who is likely to be in the country, to be part of the delegation.

Apart from its domain sectors, the delegation would try to find out business opportunities in other sectors, ICC secretary general Rajeev Singh said.

India and US having bilateral trade of US$ 33 billion is aiming at US$ 40 billion bilateral trade by 2010.