India, US officials may meet this month over trade issues
Senior officials of India and the US will soon meet to address concerns of both sides, including issues related to visa, continuation of certain concession for exports, duty on steel and aluminium, and prices of certain medical devices.
Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, who was in Washington earlier this week, said he held discussions with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, to find out ways to enhance trade and investments between the two countries. He said the meeting was significantly important in the backdrop of the US not being ready to talk on trade-related issues even with its close trading partners like Canada.
“On the day of (my) visit, US President Donald Trump made a statement about G7... In that backdrop the meeting took place. The meeting with the USTR went very well. We made substantive progress on trade and investment issues. (Now) officers’ meeting will take place very soon to discuss all pending issues. We have agreed to work on resolution of various issues and address the concerns of either side,” Prabhu told reporters here.
He said the meeting of the officers might take place by the end of this month.
India has time and again raised concerns over the impact of tightening of visa norms by the US on the IT sector. It has also asked the US to continue extending duty-free access under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) to its products such as chemicals and engineering. India also wants exemption from the hike in import duty on steel and aluminium items.