Sharma heading for US; focus on Doha talks

For his first engagement with top secretaries in the Obama administration as the Commerce Minister, Anand Sharma is leaving tonight for the US to discuss a range of bilateral and multilateral issues, including much-delayed Doha talks for global trade agreement.     

Besides addressing a high-level meeting of the US-India Business Council at Washington on June 17, Sharma will hold discussions with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.     

During his three-day engagements, the Commerce and Industry Minister would meet US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and US Trade Representative Ronald Kirk.     

"Sharma will discuss with Kirk the present scenario of the Doha Round negotiations," a Commerce Ministry statement said here today.     

The US and India, the two key members of the World Trade Organisation, have wide differences on reaching a multilateral trade pact under the Doha negotiations.     

While the US wants India and other "advanced developing countries" to open their markets for agricultural and industrial products, New Delhi seeks enough protection for majority of its subsistent farmers from free market.

Sharma met Kirk at Bali last week on the sidelines of a the Cairns Group meeting and reiterated India's commitment to the successful conclusion of the Doha negotiations.     

The US is India's largest trade partner and foremost export destination. At present, it accounts for 12.71 per cent of India's exports and around 8.36 per cent of India's imports.     

India's exports to the US were $20 billion in 2007-08 and imports were $21 billion.