India raises H1-B concerns with US
Friday, 27/09/2013
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=82143&boxid=62138&uid=&dat=2013-09-27
New York : India has flagged its concerns with the US 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 here on Wednesday and “discussed a range of issues of mutual interest, including “ongoing discussions on the civil-nuke deal.”
Khurshid said the two sides discussed economic concerns raised by both Indian and US industry and ways to work together on enhancing economic relationship.
He outlined steps India had 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 US,” Khurshid said.
He said India “looked also very specifically on our concerns which relate to participation in the United States economic effort by way of Indian professionals coming to the United States temporarily on H1-B non-immigrant visas. These are areas that still need to be addressed.
“There is a lot of work that United States side has to do with its industry. We have to (work) with them and we have to carry greater conviction with our own industry as well.”
Senate welcomes PM
Washington: As Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here on Thursday for his third summit on Friday with President Barack Obama, the US Senate passed a resolution welcoming him “for meetings to advance the United States-India partnership”.
