FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 7, 2011
CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
202-482-4883
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke met today with Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma. The discussion focused on increasing the kind of mutually beneficial trade that provides win-win opportunities for both countries. Secretary Locke and Minister Sharma met during President Obama’s November visit to India.
“The U.S.-India bilateral relationship is stronger than ever before, and President Obama’s recent visit highlights the priority this administration places on this relationship,” Locke said. “We welcome the significant growth of investment and trade in goods and services between our two countries, but we believe our bilateral commerce is far from its potential.”
Locke raised longstanding and emerging issues – including market access barriers and intellectually property protection - facing U.S. companies in the Indian market. He encouraged enhanced consultations to resolve issues on both sides
After their meeting, the two leaders were joined by members of a delegation of 24 U.S. companies for a discussion of how U.S. firms can provide goods and services in the nuclear energy, civil aviation, defense and security, and information and communications technology sectors to meet India’s growing demand.
Locke is leading the delegation of U.S. companies on a business development mission to promote U.S. high technology in India. This is the first Secretary-led business development mission since 1997 and the first of several Commerce Department missions being planned for 2011. New Delhi is the first leg of the mission, which will also make stops in Bangalore and Mumbai.
The trade mission supports President Obama’s National Export Initiative which aims to double U.S. exports within five years supporting several million U.S. jobs.
Visit the Commerce Department’s India trade mission website at http://trade.gov/indiamission2011/index.asp for updates on the trade mission.
