The recession hit US today said it wants to enhance dialogue with India on key trade policy issues, including the bilateral investment treaty under negotiation.
The United States has filed a complaint against China at the World Trade Organisation over the nearly $3 billion of antidumping and countervailing duties that Beijing levies on US automobile exports, saying that such duties abuse trade laws.
India and the United States on Wednesday agreed to fast-track technical negotiations for early conclusion of a Bilateral Investment Agreement during a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
Through these actions at the WTO, the United States is seeking the prompt provision of detailed information and data from China and India regarding the operation of these subsidy programmes, the USTR said.
India's disappointment over recent 'protectionist' measures by the United States, including increase in visa fee for IT professionals and Ohio's ban on government outsourcing, will be raised at the high level ministerial meeting in Washington on Tuesday.
The top Obama Administration official said the US will negotiate agreements that commit its trading partners to protecting American intellectual property, such as the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Sharma met US trade representative Ron Kirk, agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack and deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor for International Economic Affairs Michael Froman and other senior Obama Administration officials.
Terming an American proposal to increase visa fees as discriminatory, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma on Tuesday said the increase would cost Indian firms $200 million extra a year and make them less competitive.
An Indian American has been appointed the chief agriculture negotiator of the United States, who would carry out all critical negotiations for the country in the crucial Doha round and other bilateral discussions.
The successful conclusion of the Doha round of trade negotiations would substantially augment global trade, Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma said here.
The two-day trade policy forum was to be held on January 12 and 13.
The US was 'extraordinarily' frustrated with the slow pace of opening up of Indian economy, despite the issue being raised at the highest level, a top Obama Administration has said.
The Obama administration has not received any specific assurances from India that it will help carry the developing countries with it to help successfully complete the stalled Doha Development Agenda, but the fact that New Delhi is hosting the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting exudes optimism in this regard, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk has acknowledged
There 'appears to be a conscious policy to create unfair preferences for Chinese industries by making raw materials cheaper for China's companies to get, and goods more economical for them to produce, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said on Tuesday. The European Union has filed a similar complaint with the WTO.
Over the past five years, US-India trade has more than doubled and the US continues to be India's largest trading partner -- if goods and services are counted -- a total bilateral trade standing at $65.9 billion in 2009.
Noting that Obama Administration is fundamentally committed to developmental premise of Doha Round, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk has said that advanced developing countries like China and India need to come in the same spirit as the United States for its success.
Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and the US Trade Representative Ron Kirk would sign the India-US Trade Policy Forum Framework for cooperation on trade and investment in Washington on March 17.
India is most open to dialogue on the Doha round and trade negotiations among all major emerging markets, a top Obama Administration official has told the US lawmakers.
India on Monday emphasised the need for resuming talks on the WTO's stalled Doha Round, stating that the negotiating text for global trade can be the staring point for further talks.
The provisions of the border security bill, which allows massive increase in the fees on categories of H-1B and L1 visas, is discriminatory against the Indian companies, India has said and asked the United States to amend it.
"Indian foreign direct investment in the US is more than America's FDI in India."
Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma will meet new US Trade Representative Ron Kirk at Bali in Indonesia on June 6-7, on the sidelines of the meeting of the Cairns Group of farm product-exporting countries. The two countries have serious differences on the level of protection that can be given to farmers as and when the global market for farm products is opened up. India has argued all along that it cannot compromise on food security and livelihood concerns.
Ambassador Islam 'Isi' Siddiqui, one of the highest ranking Indian Americans in the Obama administration, has resigned from his position as chief agricultural negotiator in the office of the United States Trade Representative.
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