The year 2023 was a gangbuster year for India US trade and bilateral partnership and both countries are moving from a tradition of locking horns to a commitment to taking trade to new heights, said US Trade Representative Katherine Tai after her meeting with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi.
In August last year, the Ministry for Electronics and IT had announced that companies importing laptops, computers and other IT Hardware into India would require a license.
The intention was to guarantee entry of trusted hardware and systems into India. Following objections by the industry and countries like the United States, the government decided to roll-back the order.
Instead, a new import management system was introduced, which made it mandatory for companies to register the quantity and value of imports. The government said that it would evaluate the data and consider any further measures by September 2024.
On Friday, the USTR took up India's import management policies with her counterpart Piyush Goyal in the Indo-US Trade Policy Forum. "Ambassador Tai raised the issue of India’s new import requirements for computers, tablets, and servers. USTR urged India to ensure that the end-to-end online system for IT Hardware
does not restrict trade going forward", said the joint statement.
Speaking to the media, Katherine Tai said that India should keep the United States government informed about import policy measures being considered.
"We had candid discussions about India's laptop import licensing requirements. We are hearing India's sensitivity and concerns around security. We hope the government will create a place for consultation and feedback from all stakeholders and make sure that any approach is tailored to those concerns and does not disrupt the regulatory environment", she said.
According to the joint statement, both ministers reiterated their commitment to ensure that technical regulations, such as Quality Control Orders, do not create unnecessary barriers to trade by providing sufficient opportunities for stakeholder consultations.
Elaborating on the discussions, Tai said that notice and process of consultation and feedback before implementation of import procedures and QCO's is important for building confidence in the regulatory environment.
During the meetings, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had sought restoration of Generalized System of Preferences and faster processing of business visas for Indian professionals. The GSP program eliminates duties on thousands of products coming into US from designated developing countries. The Trump administration has revoked the benefits for India.
The USTR told the media, that the decision on the framework for restoring GSP benefits for India lies with the US Congress. "We remain open to working with the US Congress on this", said Tai.
Seeking greater market access for US agricultural products was a priority for USTR and both sides reviewed steps to ease access for American walnuts, almonds, blueberries, cranberries, alfalfa hay, turkey, duck and pork into India. The Indian government sought greater market access for grapes, pomegranates and mangoes.
(Edited by : Priyanka Deshpande)
