USIBC Solicits "Roadmap" To Enhance Trade and Investment with India
Press Release Body = Corporate & Business News from India\'s Premier Corporate Newswire, InfoMailers.com KEYWORDS: India Business Council, Corporate News, Business News, Biz News, Corporate Newswire Source: India Business Council Saturday, April 14, 2007 Editors: Business, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Export, Import, Corporate News, Corporate Newswire, Business News, Biz News.
U.S.-India Free Trade Initiative
USIBC Solicits "Roadmap" To Enhance Trade and Investment with India
Washington, DC, Washington, USA, Monday, April 23, 2007 (InfoMailers.com):: Today, the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) issued a Solicitation to 22 Washington-based professional firms specializing in U.S.-India trade, seeking proposals to develop a "Road Map" leading the two countries towards a successful Doha conclusion and eventually a Free Trade Agreement - potentially the largest-ever negotiated.
Highlighting the importance of the initiative, USIBC President, Ron Somers, stated in the Request for Proposal (RFP) that "USIBC's greatest contribution to free-market democracy in the coming years - consistent with securing a successful conclusion to the Doha Development Round - will be to prepare and execute a "Roadmap" that charts the course towards a Free Trade Agreement between the U.S. and India."
The 22 professional firms specializing in U.S.-India trade to receive the Request for Proposal are all USIBC-member firms, including Akin Gump, Andrews Kurth, Arnold Porter, Baker & McKenzie, Barbour Griffith Rogers International, The Cohen Group, Cravath Swaine & Moore, Dykema Gossett PLC, Finnegan & Henderson, Goodwin Procter, Greenberg Taurig, Hogan & Hartson, Jones Day, Kelley Drye, Mayer Brown Rowe, Morrison & Forrester, Patton Boggs, Paul Weiss, Steptoe & Johnson, Stonebridge International, Thelen Reid & Priest, Thever & Associates, White & Case, and WilmerHale - to name a few. It should be noted that Patton Boggs is championing the U.S.-India civilian nuclear advocacy initiative for USIBC, which resulted in U.S. Congressional passage last year of the Henry Hyde Peaceful Atomic Energy Act of 2006.
The RFP states that "the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) is making U.S.-India trade and investment its top advocacy priority for 2007, and is determined to dedicate USIBC's considerable energy and resources to deepening U.S.-India trade, identifying and removing barriers on both sides, and clearing the way for a new era of trade cooperation."
Recognizing that months and years of dedicated effort will be necessary to meaningfully deepen trade and investment beyond current levels, the RFP solicits professional guidance and support for researching, preparing and defining, and then executing an activist agenda - a "Road Map" - that charts the logical progression towards deeper, more robust U.S.-India trade and investment. Two-way trade between the U.S. and India stands at a mere $32 billion. In contrast, two-way trade between the U.S. and China is more than 10 times this amount, at $350 billion.
USIBC states in the RFP that "the ultimate goal is to unleash market forces supporting free trade and investment in a socially-sustainable manner. The ultimate goal is to create the freest feasible trade and investment climate between the United States and Ind ia, one which protects respective national interests, and is, most-importantly, inclusive," Ron Somers, President of the USIBC, said.
Proposals are called for by May 15 - with contract award to occur by June 15 - in time for USIBC's 32nd Anniversary "Global India" Summit on June 27, which will feature Indian Union Commerce Minister Kamal Nath, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, West Bengal's Industry Minister Nirupam Sen, Reliance CEO Mukesh Ambani, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney, Warburg Pincus President Chip Kaye, Former Defense Secretary William S. Cohen, BGR's Ambassador Blackwill, AIG's Ambassador Wisner, McKinsey's Rajat Kumar Gupta, among others. USIBC promises to include on the menu at this event for the first time Indian mangoes - highlighting the fact that this fruit has been held up by trade barriers for the past 18 years. The Bush Administration, working through the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Susan Schwab, together with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has cleared the way for Indian mango exports to the U.S. this harvest season.
The U.S.-India Business Council is comprised of 250 of the largest U.S. companies investing in India, joined by two dozen global Indian companies, whose common aim is to strengthen U.S.-India commercial ties and deepen two-way trade. The USIBC has offices in Washington, New York, San Francisco, and New Delhi. USIBC celebrates its 32nd Anniversary during this auspicious 60th year of India\'s independence.
For further information, please contact:
Nivedita Mehra 1615 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20062 Tel: 202-463-5492 Fax: 202-463-3173 Email: usibc@uschamber.com Website: www.usibc.com
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