By Arun Kumar
IANS
Washington : Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) president Sunil Bharti Mittal has told Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton how Indian companies are outsourcing to US firms, investing in the US and creating jobs here.
This reverse outsourcing was one of the new emerging trends for business between India and the US, he told the Democratic senator putting the issue in perspective, as there is a periodic outcry in the US against outsourcing of jobs to call centres in India.
Mittal, who called on Clinton at the Capitol Hill Wednesday as head of a CII CEOs delegation, also briefed her on 'India@60 – the India 3D: Democracy, Diversity, Demographics' – an ambitious brand building project for India that CII and the Indian government are organising in New York City in September 2007.
Senator Clinton asked the CII for more information on all three aspects of The India 3D event that will play a tangible role in re-branding India by targeting five "key pillars" – the corporate community, the political community, media, the Indian diaspora and the American public at large.
Spread over four days, the India 3D campaign will try touching all the above through business conferences, CEOs meets, one-to-one meetings and cultural, social and media events.
The CII delegation included CII chief mentor Tarun Das, Hari S. Bhartia of Jubilant Organosys Ltd, C.K. Birla of Hindustan Motors Ltd, Atul Punj of Punj Lloyd Ltd and Analjit Singh of Max India Ltd.
Over the last four days, the delegation has had meetings with government officials, including Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, Energy Secretary Sam Bodman, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nick Burns and Under Secretary of Commerce Frank Lavin.
They also met among others Max Baucus, chairman, senate committee on finance, Karan Bhatia, deputy US trade representative, Rod Hunter, senior director for international trade at the White House, and Karen Harbert, assistant secretary for policy.
The CII delegation is also expected to take up issues relating to H1B visas, banking licences, GSP for gems and jewellery, State taxes in the US (especially in New Jersey) and their implications on the Indian companies in the US.
In its meetings, the delegation has been highlighting strengths of Indian economy, its inclusive challenges and the key focus areas of investment in health, education, water, infrastructure and women empowerment.
Mittal also highlighted the vehicles for American Indian engagement in India – The Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, the Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre and the Indian American Council.