India to prepare strategy to deal with visa curbs

Commerce & Industry ministry bats for seamless movement of professionals from India to other countries.
India to prepare strategy to deal with visa curbs

NEW DELHI: The commerce ministry will soon present a strong case for movement of professionals from India to other countries, impacted by various restrictions due to new visa rules. A team of officials in the ministry is in the process of discussing the strategy and a draft is likely to be presented to minister Nirmala Sitharaman soon. As part of the process the commerce ministry officials are likely to soon hold a meeting with top information technology firms and other industries that have been impacted by the revised visa norms stipulated by the US and Australia.

“A strategy is being developed to help Indian industry if they are impacted by the new visa rules. But, as of now, even Nasscom is saying there is no impact. So, we will discuss the matter internally before it is taken up at the minister’s level,” said a senior official in commerce ministry.
 

“It is time that we had a global framework within which trade in services can happen. We will be actively pursuing our proposal in the WTO,” Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event, she said India respects other countries’ right to protect their interests but will not accept unfair treatment. She also said that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is currently in the US, would also take up the matter with the US administration.

“The draft will include the inputs from various other ministries so that the case is put up strongly at the bilateral and multilateral forums,” said a commerce ministry official. The ministries that will be consulted include external affairs, finance, labour and health, the officials said, adding, “A discussion with the commerce secretary is being scheduled during the next few days, depending on the availability of others.”

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com