India, US agree to fast-track bilateral investment treaty talks, re-invigorate TPF

23 Jun 2011 Evaluate

In a bid to take optimum advantage of the vastly untapped trade potential between India and US, both the nations have decided to fast-track technical negotiations for early conclusion of a bilateral investment agreement. During a meeting between the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and the US Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, both agreed to re-invigorate the Trade Policy Forum (TPF) and make it more robust and effective in resolving bilateral commercial issues, while maintaining the political leadership of the process.

Sharma also underscored that there would be two rounds of negotiations before the next meeting of the ministerial level TPF, expected to be held in October 2011 in India. While Ron Kirk, endorsing that the TPF is the premier dialogue for addressing trade and investment issues between the two countries, opined that the two sides agreed to strengthen the TPF to better facilitate resolution of outstanding issues of concern and looked forward to a constructive meeting of the TPF later this year.

The US Trade Representative further stated that “the booming bilateral trade and investment flows between the US and India support tens of thousands of critical jobs in both countries and we know that will only grow significantly in the coming years,”. He also emphasized that both the counties will have to take concrete steps to resolve long-standing market access and investment concerns in order to continue and boost their bilateral trades.

Both Sharma and Kirk discussed an entire range of issues in bilateral trade and commercial engagement and described their meeting as a productive one. Sharma apprised Ambassador Kirk of various policy approaches being taken by India to sustain its high GDP growth and the opportunities it offered for the U.S. businesses to develop partnerships with the Indian private sector. He mentioned infrastructure, agriculture and agro-processing; food processing; cold chain logistics; manufacturing of electronic devices including chip design as areas with bilateral cooperative possibilities.

The Indian Minister also raised issues of importance for the Indian industry in their business operations in the US. He later informed that, US welcomed the unilateral action taken by India in reducing tariffs on a number of products, including raw pistachios, cranberry products, seedless raisins, processed foods, medical equipment, fertilizers, chemicals, heavy machinery, etc. USTR also appreciated India’s efforts towards increased cooperation in services and on improving the investment environment.

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