AMCHAM organized a virtual interaction on May 14th with Ms. Laurie Farris, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia Global Markets, U.S. Department of Commerce, to discuss the dynamics of U.S.-India trade and commerce. Ms. Ranjana Khanna, Director General CEO, AMCHAM, welcomed participants and introduced DAS Farris. While indeed challenging times, DAS Farris mentioned that the Department of Commerce looked forward to the next U.S.-India Commercial Dialogue and U.S.-India CEO Forum, which had recently reprioritized topics of interest because of the pandemic, to include the ability to manufacture and provide services, ability to move goods, improve communication efforts through all levels of government.

During a moderated Q&A session the need for a low tariff structure, strong IPR, attractive investment climate, robust infrastructure, skilled labor pool and availability of key materials as factors for how companies would bring manufacturing to India, were discussed. Standards, infrastructure projects, the Development Finance Corporation, the National Strategy to Secure 5G of the United States, IPR best practices, India’s smooth handling of a national lockdown, ongoing trade negotiations and global best practices in food-processing, were touched upon. Ms. Aileen Nandi, Honorary National Executive Board Member, AMCHAM and Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs, in her remarks, thanked DAS Farris for a fruitful exchange of ideas and AMCHAM members for their participation. AMCHAM expressed gratitude for the support the Embassy has extended to American companies operating in India during such difficult times.