Commerce Minister to visit US to discuss trade issues

Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu will leave on Wednesday on a three-day visit to the US to meet with his American counterpart Wilbur Ross for the first trade and commerce talks between India and the US administration led by President Donald Trump.

"Tonight, I'm going to the US to meet my counterpart Commerce Secretary as well as Trade Representative of US. This is the first time India is going to have a structured interaction on Commerce and related issues with the Trump administration," Prabhu told reporters here at the launch of the website of the Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM).

"Therefore, it is a very important meeting in which we will be discussing issues from their side as well as our side. I will also be meeting a lot of business leaders there from India and the US," he said.

During his visit between October 25-28, Prabhu will also meet US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

Issues like visa, greater market access for goods, and intellectual property rights are expected to figure in the trade policy forum meeting between India and the US on October 25 in Washington.

Prabhu said that on the second leg of the visit, he will visit Cuba, from October 28-31, to hold discussions on boosting bilateral trade.

"I am going to meet quite a few ministers. We have invited them in Havana for meeting them on how can we promote bilateral trade with them," he said.

The Minister also said the government is trying to develop an exclusive portal for startups and working to create a single website for all exports and international trade activities.

"I have already told DGFT (Director General Foreign Trade) Aand they have started working on it. A lot of agencies have to be taken on board, particularly with Customs, because most formalities of import and export are with Customs," he said.

"Soon we want to organise a round-table on startups. Soon, you will hear good news on ease of doing business," he added.

--IANS

bc/tsb