The Office of the United States Trade Representative

US - India Trade Policy Forum
07/18/2005

 

  • On the occasion of the visit of the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, to the United States, our two governments announced the establishment of a new consultative mechanism called “The United States–India Trade Policy Forum.”
  • This Trade Policy Forum will take forward the agenda of the US-India Working Group on Trade, which was established in the year 2000.
  • The Trade Policy Forum will be co-chaired by the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Rob Portman, and India's Minister of Commerce and Industry, The Honourable Kamal Nath, or their Deputies. Other relevant U.S. government agencies and Indian Ministries will also participate in the Forum.
  • The first meeting of the Trade Policy Forum will take place before the end of this year.
  • The agenda will cover the trade and investment policy concerns of both the governments. Subjects to be discussed could include: tariff and non tariff trade barriers; foreign direct investment; subsidies; customs procedures; standards, testing, labelling and certification; intellectual property rights protection; sanitary and phytosanitary measures, government procurement; and services.
  • The Forum offers the opportunity for our governments to work together bilaterally towards a successful outcome of the Doha Round.