New York: India has flagged its concerns with the U.S. over much-sought after H1-B visas besides outlining the recent steps it has taken to ease economic concerns raised by American businesses, ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s meeting with President Barack Obama.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid met Secretary of State John Kerry in New York on Wednesday and “discussed a range of issues of mutual interest”, including “ongoing discussions on the civil-nuke deal.”
Prime Minister Singh arrives in Washington on Thursday for a meeting with President Barack Obama on Friday.
Mr. Khurshid said the two sides discussed economic concerns raised by both Indian and U.S. industry and ways to work together on enhancing economic relationship.
He outlined steps India has taken to address transfer pricing, retrospective tax regime, notification on safe harbour rules, steps in pension regulation, and opening FDI limits in sectors such as aviation and telecom.
“We brought this to their (US) notice, gave them a list of steps that we have taken and we hope that this will be transmitted back to the CEOs forum in the U.S.,” Mr. Khurshid said.
He said India “looked also very specifically on our concerns which relate to participation in the US economic effort by way of Indian professionals coming to the U.S. temporarily on H1B non-immigrant visas. These are areas that still need to be addressed.
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