America urges India to lower its import tariffs

27 Mar 2012 Evaluate

Taking a snobbish stance, America has urged India to lower its import tariffs and has cautioned that a failure to do so could cause meaningful harm. As per the visiting US Secretary of Commerce, John Bryson, high import tariffs in India are affecting American businesses and hampering the growth of mutual trade.

India on its part has raised the issue of the increase in rejection rates (28%) of temporary work visas to Indian professionals. It has also taken up the issue of the US State of Ohio's ban on offshore outsourcing of Government business, which has impacted Indian IT industry. It also wants an early conclusion of the bilateral Totalisation Agreement as the absence of the pact is burdening the Indian IT sector because they are required to shell out over $1 billion annually to the US Government towards social security, without any benefit or prospect of refund.

Bryson observed that India exported $36 billion worth of goods to the U.S. in 2011, while exports from the U.S. to India ballooned to $21 billion last year, from less than $4 billion in 2001. However India's high tariffs on many products like capital goods (power-generating equipment), medical products, grapes, citrus, and other fruits are harming the interests of the US businessmen. Moreover local sourcing requirements in sectors such as solar energy and IT/electronics (telecom) make it harder for US companies to invest in India.

It may be noted that capital goods such as power generation equipment face a basic duty of 7.5% and effective rate of 22%. Grapes, citrus and other fruits face a 30% duty. Referring to India's plans of developing its infrastructure, Bryson has stated that the US is keen to participate in these investments. Building roads, railways, aviation and energy are of special interest to the US. 

Infrastructure, which has been the biggest constraint of the Indian economy has now gained focus and the government has decided to invest $1 trillion in building world-class infrastructure in the next five years.

India, has brought up the issue of US move to hike visa fees for H1B (work permit for temporary workers) and L1 visas (intra-company transferee); and the US State of Ohio's ban on offshore outsourcing of Government business, which affected the Indian IT industry.

India also said the US Government's decision to centralise Blanket L visa at their Chennai Consulate is another area of serious concern to the Indian IT industry. This is because ‘the move has made applicants from the East and North India travel over 2,000 km to get US visa making it a logistical nightmare for companies'.

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