Khullar asks US to do something tangible on visa issue

India has asked the United States to address its concerns with regard to the H-1B and L1 visas.

"We have made it amply clear that they have to do something tangible now, because it can’t carry on in terms of assurances. If this doesn’t get done then this problem will fester," the Indian Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar said yesterday after meeting top US officials here.

The US delegation was led by the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Francisco J Sanchez.

So far, India has been given assurances by the US that they would do something, but nothing has been done so far, Khullar said after the launch of the first India-US Commercial Dialogue in Washington here.

The Indian Chief Secretary also strongly conveyed to the US authorities the sentiments of the Indian businesses that are finding it tough to get L1 and H1B category visas.

 Khullar also met the Deputy National Security Advisor, Michael Froman, Robert Hormatz, the Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs; and Deputy US Trade Representatives, Demetrios Marantis.

Besides, H-1B and L1 visas, the Indian delegation headed by Khullar, which arrived in New York on March 15, also talked about anti-dumping issues.

The Indian Ambassador to the US, Meera Shankar, said the trade and economic relationship between India and the US, have been growing substantially.

In calendar year 2010, the two way trade touched $48.75 billion, much higher than the previous record of  $43 billion in 2008.

Khullar said the purpose of the dialogue was to further cement the strategic alliance and partnership from the commercial perspective.

The second leg of the commercial dialogue between the two countries would take place in India this year.