The annual AMCHAM India door knock delegation to Washington DC was led by AMCHAM’s Chairman, Mr. Phil Shaw, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin India, from June 9th– 13th, 2019. The main purpose of the door knock was to inform and sensitize U.S. policy-makers on issues impacting U.S. investments in India. The delegation interacted with many of the important players in the economic relationship and other key decision-makers.

This year, AMCHAM, with knowledge partner KPMG in India, published a whitepaper to leave behind with U.S. government officials during the door knock. The document provided an industry perspective on India’s economy while highlighting some of the key sectorwise industry related challenges faced by U.S. companies operating in India.

The main topics of discussions with government officials included:

• Data Localization across sectors
• IP protection and lack of patent linkages
• Reactions to GSP withdrawal
• Copyright Bill – Form 27 issues in IT
• Banking industry – privacy, data, job creation
• E-commerce – policy and the negative trade
• Cyber security capability as an economic pillar in the Indo – Pacific strategy
• Smart manufacturing in 5G technology
• Pricing, trade margin rationalization
• CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) – awareness of the dynamics and possibility of waiver for India
• Potential for a Congressional study group on India
• Basic impediments to Investments
• Critical financing through EXIM bank
• USG’s vision on the Indo-Pacific
• Growth opportunity in aviation in India
• Exploring space relationship and program between the two countries
• Reinitiate the U.S.-India higher education dialogue
• B2G interactions on the side lines of G2G dialogues

On Sunday evening, June 9th, the delegation met for an informal internal briefing and was joined by Ms. Aileen Nandi, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs, U.S. Embassy.

On Monday June 10th, the door knock officially began with a meeting with Mr. Vishal Amin, Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, Executive Office of the President and other officials from IPEC, at the White House. This was followed by a meeting with Ambassador Robert Strayer, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyber and International Communications and Information Policy, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State along with Mr. John Piletich, International Relations Officer, International Communications & Information Policy and Ms. Ruth Berry, Deputy Director for Bilateral & Regional Affairs, International Communications and Information Policy, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. Next the delegation moved to Capitol Hill and met with Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO). The day concluded with a meeting with Mr. Clarke Cooper, Assistant Secretary, Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

On Tuesday June 11th, the delegation met with Ambassador Jeff Gerrish, Deputy United States Trade Representative, who was joined by Ms. Rachel Morris, Senior Advisor to the Deputy United States Trade Representative, Mr. Christopher Wilson, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for South and Central Asian Affairs, and Mr. Brendan Lynch, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, among others. The delegation met with Mr. Curtis Rhyne, Deputy Chief of Staff for Representative George Holding (R-NC) Co-Chair, Congressional India Caucus.

In the afternoon, the group went to the Pentagon to meet with Department of Defense officials from the Office of the Secretary of Defense: Ambassador Tina Kaidanow, Senior Advisor, International Cooperation, Acquisition & Sustainment, Dr. Joe Felter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (South and Southeast Asia), Ms. Michelle Hizon, Principal Director, Security Assistance, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), Mr. Mike Laychak, Deputy Director, Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA) and Mr. Scott Baum, Principal Director, Industrial Policy. There was also a defense services meetings with the following officials: Mr. Michael Vaccaro, Director, International Armaments Cooperation, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (A&S), Ms. Ann Cataldo, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Defense Exports and Cooperation, Dr. Walter Jones, Deputy Director, Navy International Programs Office and Maj. Gen. Stephen W. Oliver Jr., Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs. The day concluded with a brief meeting with Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX).

On Wednesday morning, June 12th, the delegation met with Mr. Thomas Hardy, Director (Acting), USTDA, Mr. Todd Abrajano, Deputy Director (Acting), Ms. Verinda Fike, Regional Director for South and Southeast Asia, Ms. Shannon M. Roe, Senior Country Manager, Indo-Pacific Region and Ms. Alissa Lee, Country Manager, Indo-Pacific Region. There was a meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s staff, Ms. Katherine Monge, Senior Policy Advisor and Ms. Sarah Jackson, Policy Associate. The group met with Ms. Erica Riordan, Legislative Assistant from the office of Representative Dina Titus (D-NV). Aviation sector members met with Mr. David S. Burkholder, Deputy Executive Director, Office of International Affairs, Federal Aviation Administration. Next, the delegation went back to the State Department for a meeting with Ambassador Alice Wells, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. More meetings on the hill included Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH), Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) and Representative Ami Bera (D-CA).

June 14th began with a meeting with Mr. Micahel Sobolik, Legislative Assistant for Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) followed by a meeting with staffers from the office of Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Co Chair, Senate India Caucus, Mr. Don Bergin, Foreign Policy Legislative Assistant and Mr. Karthik Raja. The final trip to the State department was to meet with Mr. Peter Haas, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic Affairs, U.S. Department of State. The group proceeded to the Embassy of India to meet with Ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Indian Ambassador to the U.S., Mr. Puneet Kundal, Minister – Commerce and Mr. Sanjiv Tandon, Counselor Commerce. The final meeting was with Mr. Dale Tasharski, Deputy Director General of Global Markets, U.S. Department of Commerce, Ms. Jennifer Wethey, Director for India and the Indian Ocean Region, National Security Council and Commerce Department officials.

AMCHAM India Door Knock Delegation 2019

1. Phil Shaw, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin India Pvt. Ltd. (Chairman, AMCHAM)
2. Kaku Nakhate, President & Country Head, India, Bank of America N.A. (Vice Chairperson, AMCHAM and Chairperson – Diversity & Inclusion Committee, AMCHAM)
3. Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India (National Executive Board Member, AMCHAM)
4. Michael M. Koch, Vice President – India, Boeing Defense Space & Security, Boeing India Defense Pvt. Ltd. (Chairman – Defense Committee, AMCHAM)
5. Puneet Kumar, Managing Director, Accenture Solutions India Pvt. Ltd.
6. Nikhil Khanna, Managing Director, India, BAE Systems India Pvt. Ltd. (Co-Chairman – Defense Committee, AMCHAM)
7. Naveen Munnangi, General Manager & Whole-time Director, Belcan India Pvt. Ltd.
8. Arijit Sen, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Flex Group (Co-Chairman – Manufacturing Committee, AMCHAM)
9. Michael Harrington, Managing Director, Mintz Group
10. Vivek Vasishtha, Executive Director and Country Leader, IBM India (Co-Chairman – ICT Committee, AMCHAM)
11. Pradeep Udhas, Office Managing Partner – West, KPMG in India
12. Jyotsna Ghosal, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs, MSD Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. (Co-Chairperson – Pharma Committee, AMCHAM)
13. Michael Green, General Manager – India, Sannam S4
14. Samit Ray, Regional Director Government Affairs & Public Policy South East Asia, United Technologies Corporation (Co-Chairman – Infrastructure & Smart Cities Committee, AMCHAM)
15. Ranjana Khanna, Director General CEO, AMCHAM India
16. Valerie Swope, Program Coordinator, AMCHAM India
17. Udaya Arun, Director – Aerospace & Defense, AMCHAM India