New Delhi, Sept 6: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) has salvaged the proposed IT professionals' meeting with Prime Minister AB Vajpayee in US from a near-total washout, with about 20 top-rung Indian Americans now slated to have an audience with him in Washington on September 16.Even as Mr Vajpayee leaves for his US tour on Wednesday night, Ficci president GP Goenka exuded confidence that information technology would remain a focus area during the prime ministerial tour.
Speaking to Financial Express, Mr Goenka said that among the top names who would be with the Prime Minister for the IT huddle are Gururaj Deshpande and Kanwal Rekhi. Ficci expects some two dozen IT big-wigs to take part in the discussion, he added.
The chamber has also chipped in to arrange for commerce and industry minister Murasoli Maran's meeting with his US counterpart in Washington where the focus of discussion would be on market access on both sides, duty structure, anti-dumping laws and related issues of concern to both countries.Mr Maran will be assisted by secretaries Probir Sengupta and Shyamal Ghosh, besides the power secretary.
On the political side, Mr Goenka said, the chamber has succeeded in arranging a meeting of 100-odd senators with the Prime Minister in Washington.
``The Ficci was seeking to be futuristic on this as the senators meeting will have a longer term effect,'' Mr Goenka said, explaining how most of these senators will continue in office even after the change in White House.
Meanwhile, the Prime Ministerial visit will be utilised as an opportunity to discuss the second-generation reforms with the US administration. Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who is already in US, is slated to meet his counterpart, Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, in Washington on September 13.
Official sources said among the issues to be discussed with Mr Summers are financial sector reforms, capital market reforms, disclosure norms, transparency in business dealings and development of mutual funds industry in India.
The insurance sector, a hot area of interest for US investors, is expected to figure in a big way during the talks. Significantly, special secretary (insurance) and external finance PK Banerjee will be at hand to assist the finance minister during his discussions with Mr Summers.
AIG and All State are the two major US insurance firms which have so far come to India and many more are waiting to make an entry.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.