'Indian actions discriminating against US exports and sales'

Business

oi-Sunil

By Sunil Fernandes

Published: Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 13:04 [IST]

Washington: Alleging that Indian actions over the past one year has been discriminating against US exports and sales, an association of top American business groups has asked the Obama Administration to raise its concerns with New Delhi during Secretary of State John Kerry's visit next week.

"Today, we are calling on the Obama administration to raise concerns immediately at the highest levels of the Indian government and to press for real results," Linda Dempsey, Vice president, International Economic affairs for National Association of Manufacturers told reporters during a conference call.

Announcing the launch of Alliance for Fair Trade with India (AFTI), Dempsey said the India visit of Secretary of State John Kerry next week is a critical opportunity to take this action.

The alliance is co-chaired by the National Association of Manufacturers and the US Chamber of Commerce's Global Intellectual Property Center.

"AFTI members want a level playing field and a fair shake in India. We want India to end its unfair trade practices and to make sure those trade practices are not repeated in the future, she said.

"We hope and expect the Indian government will respond positively and will work constructively with the business community to address these concerns," she said.

"But if India does not act quickly to comply with its international obligations, we believe that all trade and diplomatic options must be on the table. To have the kind of strategic partnership we all want, India must play by the rules," Dempsey said.

Dempsey said the alliance is asking the administration and particularly Kerry to not just have dialogue but to achieve real concrete results when he meets with the Indian government next week.

"This is a serious issue. This is about jobs for NAM. This is about manufacturing. This is an issue that's gone on for far too long. And we need our government to be very clear with the Indian government that these actions have to stop now and, uh, to turn back, uh, to the actions that have been taken over the last year to 18 months," she said.

"There have always been long standing concerns with India's IP systems. But in the last 18 months, it seems to have been a rapid deterioration. And there are a few very, very specific examples here from the pharmaceutical industry," said Mark Elliot, executive vice president of the GIPC.

"In simple terms, India is the international out wire. This trend clearly calls into question the country's commitment to promoting innovation and continue its path toward a knowledge based economy. It is well- documented that strong IP systems lead to strong foreign direct investment," he said.

PTI