India must seize the chance : US
Context
First public address by American envoy to India Kenneth Juster
What did he say?
- Hub for US Business in Indo-pacific: India is a “leading power” in the Indo-Pacific and should gear up to become an alternative manufacturing destination to China to attract U.S. business
- Number of US companies are looking to downgrade their operations from China due to increasing difficulties in doing business there. India must seize this opportunity to become an alternative hub for US Business in Indo-Pacific region
- Free trade agreement: Both India and US should negotiate a Free Trade Agreement
- Market access and IP rights: He expressed the need for India to expand market access and intellectual property rights, both of which are the subject of U.S.-India litigation at the World Trade Organisation
- Quad: He said India and the U.S. can work together in Afghanistan, partner with Japan and Australia in the Indo-Pacific, coordinate their humanitarian assistance, as well as cooperate on connectivity projects in South Asia
- Defence and counterterrorism: He placed defence and counter-terrorism cooperation as the first pillar of the India-U.S. relationship, while calling economic relations, energy and environment, science and health, and regional cooperation as the other pillars
