Members of the House and Senate are urging President Trump to advocate for reforms and eliminate trade and investment barriers to India when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits the White House this week.
The lawmakers outlined several concerns, including inadequate intellectual property rights protection, forced localization, non-science based agricultural barriers, and high tariffs for American exports in the Indian market.
“As supporters of a strong U.S.-India economic relationship, we urge you to personally address India’s significant and longstanding barriers to trade and investment during your meetings with Prime Minister Modi,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Trump. “Only through concrete actions that remove actual barriers to trade and investment can the U.S.-India economic relationship flourish.”
The letter was signed by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) along with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR).
“While Indian businesses continue to benefit from open U.S. markets, India has failed to eliminate or even address concretely multiple trade and investment barriers that have been the focus of recent bilateral and multilateral fora,” they wrote. “Prime Minister Modi’s visit provides an opportunity to once again press India for results.”