Raising concerns over the Immigration Bill being proposed by the US Administration, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told US Secretary of State John Kerry that it sends a negative signal when India is opening up its economy.
Answering questions from the media after the conclusion of the 5{+t}{+h} India-US Strategic Dialogue, Swaraj said India was not against the Bill as immigration is an internal matter of the US but was worried about the impact it could have on the IT industry.
Secretary Kerry pointed out that the Immigration Bill was a “critical priority” of President Barack Obama and added that the President would support some of the issues that have been raised.
The External Affairs Minister also raised the issue of snooping by the US intelligence agencies on some Indian political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, pointing out that this was “unacceptable” as India and the US considered each other friends.
Earlier, delivering a statement to the media, Kerry said that the US and India “can and should be indispensable partners” in the 21{+s}{+t} century, adding that while words were easy it is actions that will define the nature of the relationship.
Helping handWarming up to the theme, Kerry said the moment had come to deliver change and boost two-way trade. He said the US private sector was keen to be a catalyst in helping India develop in a variety of sectors, including high-end manufacturing, infrastructure, health care and information technology.
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