By IANS
New Delhi : There is concern over outsourcing in America, says a group of Indian corporate honchos headed by Sunil Bharti Mittal which is just back from a US visit to explore greater business opportunities.
"I think there's a lot of undercurrent regarding outsourcing in the US leading to concerns over unemployment and job losses," Telecom tycoon Sunil Bharti Mittal who is also president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) told reporters at a media briefing on their three-day visit to the US from June 3-6.
"There's a great deal of concern on employment and job losses which I am sure will be played up during the upcoming US elections, and some states where the concern is higher will wreck up the issue," Mittal said.
He said the delegation, which also had a meeting with US Senator and presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, also put up India's case of how the emerging trend of reverse outsourcing was facilitating job opportunities there.
It highlighted how investments by Indian companies in the US by way of mergers or acquisitions were creating employment.
"The outsourcing debate should not become an India debate," the Bharti Group chief said. "There has been a trend of reverse outsourcing recently. IBM has bagged $1.1 billion order from Bharti."
He said other leading telecom companies were also exploring setting up outsourcing units in the US.
The high-level business leaders stressed the early conclusion of the civil nuclear agreement between India and the US that would help meet India's energy requirements and facilitate larger flows of investments between both countries.
On the Doha round of global trade talks, Mittal said: "The Doha round is currently in lock jam and there is a complete stand-off. However, we have told the US that India should not be blamed for the deadlock but (be seen) as the voice for all emerging nations and they need to recognise it."
The global trade talks that started in the Qatar capital of Doha in 2001 hit a deadlock largely on the pruning of farm subsidies by rich nations and removal of non-tariff barriers.
"However, both the countries (the US and India) realise that a failure of Doha would put back the entire process of globalisation by several decades."
On the issue of climate change, Mittal said: "We want to see a clear roadmap by Western countries on reducing greenhouse gases."