India, US to hold 10th Trade Policy Forum meetings in New Delhi

The Dollar Business Bureau

India and the United States are holding the 10th edition of India-United States Trade Policy Forum (TPF) on October 19-20, 2016 in India.

United States Trade Representative Ambassador Michael Froman will lead a high level delegation on his visit to India. 

The Trade Policy Forum meeting has focused on increased bilateral interaction and momentum on resolving trade concerns under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the United States President Obama.

“As part of the annual work plan jointly agreed between India and US working groups on agriculture, trade in services and goods, promotion of investment in manufacturing and intellectual property has been meeting with an intention of understanding the best practices, facilitating investment and raising concerns relating to the trade,” the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.

The trade representatives from the two countries will hold technical level discussions concerning agriculture, services and goods, IPR and manufacturing on October 18, 2016.

On October 19, Secretary and Dy. USTR level discussions will be held, followed by Ministerial Level Meeting on October 20, 2016 which will be led by Ambassador Michael Froman, United States Trade Representative from the US and Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman from India.

The two sides will also be reviewing the progress achieved on the issues agreed, while working out a way forward for 2017.

India-US bilateral commercial ties have been growing stronger as reflected by increased bilateral trade in Goods and Services of $109 billion and the highest ever FDI inflows in 2015-16.

“The bilateral cooperation under TPF has resulted in resolving several market access issues and cooperation in services, manufacturing and IPR. India is looking forward to maintain the momentum further in the current TPF,” the statement said.