Indian companies seek technical tie-ups in U.S.

Friday, 25 July 2003, 19:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: A 29-member Indian delegation will be visiting the U.S this month to identify partners for technical collaborations and seek tie-ups for upgrading back office operations of tech firms. The delegation, led by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) and the India-USA Foundation of Industrial Technology Collaboration, a wing of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), will be visiting Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati in Ohio. "We hope to come back with some concluded deals," said Vinod Chandiok, national president of IACC, at a press briefing here Thursday. "Our aim is to help some of our basic small and medium industries in particular upgrade their products or processes in tie-up with U.S. companies," said Chandiok. The delegation would comprise representatives from the IT industry, foundries, ceramic, electronics, biotech and food processing sectors. While clarifying that the objective of the mission, from July 27 to August 1, is not to focus on general issues like visa hurdles, Chandiok admitted that it would nonetheless figure in talks with officials in Ohio. "The issue of visa would be taken up in the context of the controversy over outsourcing, which has been blown out of proportion. Outsourcing is a matter of concern for both India and the U.S. We will seek to impress on officials there that while we understand their concern for protecting employment, at the same time the issue of employment cannot override the issue of cost," said Chandiok. "The real issue is of freer trade in services, be it in IT or any other field. This is what India has been pressing for in the World Trade Organisation negotiations. We will try to impress on our counterparts that outsourcing at whatever level can result in substantial savings," he said. The Indian team will have a chance to visit manufacturing facilities of several global majors like General Motors, Ford and Chevrolet to enable them to witness technological changes that have taken place in the U.S. manufacturing sector. The team would also be visiting universities "to forge strong linkages between academia and the industry in India to provide a critical boost to technological upgradation of educational facilities and programmes", said Chandiok.
Source: IANS