On December 7th, AMCHAM members from the defense, aerospace, manufacturing and financial services sectors participated in an interactive session with Ms. Thea Kendler, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Bureau of Industry & Security, U.S. Department of Commerce,  Mr. Jae Shin, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Political Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Ms. Renee Sonderman, Director, Office of Conventional Arms Threat Reduction (CATR), U.S. Department of State, Mr. Sho Morimoto, Division Chief for Sea, Land and AeroSystems, U.S. Department of State and other government officials from OUSD, BIS, Commerce and Political Sections of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. Ms. Udaya Arun, Director, AMCHAM welcomed the Assistant Secretary and team and requested her to share her views on export control, challenges and rules governing the export of dual-use and military items. Assistant Secretary Kendler, in her remarks, enquired about any challenges that businesses faced by export controls, the impact of regulations and how they could encourage U.S. businesses to export in India. She mentioned that last year over 1,200 licences from India were approved and only 5 were denied contrary to the perception of a high denying rate. Members raised queries on SCOMET, SOSA, RDP and co-development. The Assistant Secretary offered to support for BIS to take the lead on having all 4 agencies together (BIS, Department of State, Department of Defense, Department of Energy) in a meeting for ease, whenever necessary. AMCHAM would help put together industry comments on STA authorization.