Washington, D.C. – U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma met in Washington, D.C. on September 21 for the seventh ministerial-level meeting of the United States-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF). Below is a joint statement from Ambassador Kirk and Minister Sharma on this year’s Forum:
“Today’s Trade Policy Forum gave us the opportunity to focus together on the state of the burgeoning U.S.-India trade and investment relationship, which is becoming an increasingly significant factor in the economic life and prosperity of our countries, as well as in the global economy. We held comprehensive discussions on a wide range of issues, identifying areas for future constructive engagement between the two trading partners. In doing so, we noted our shared goals of bringing growth and prosperity to our two peoples. At the same time, we were also able to exchange concerns on issues where we differ, recognizing that such issues are a natural part of growing trade and investment linkages between economies as dynamic as those of India and the United States. We welcomed the reports of the Focus Groups established under the TPF. Recognizing that more can and should be done to strengthen our bilateral trade and investment relationship, we instructed our Focus Group leads and other staff to redouble their efforts, particularly in the coming weeks before President Obama’s visit to India, to take concrete steps towards resolving several issues of concern and to keep senior officials regularly informed of the results of those efforts. We were particularly appreciative of the input provided by the Private Sector Advisory Group and in the inaugural meeting of the U.S.-India SME Forum. Both of these institutions serve to remind us that – just as in the domestic economy – it is private enterprises, and especially those that are small- and medium-sized, that are key to maximizing trade and investment flows that provide sustained employment, higher incomes, and other critical economic benefits. We firmly believe that this session of the TPF has moved our relationship in the direction of realizing those benefits, and look forward to continued cooperation to this end in the coming years.”
