India raises social security, market access issue with US

The government on Tuesday flagged its concerns over the high visa costs in the US and pushed for a mechanism that ensures social security contributions of Indian executives on short-term work visas are refunded through a Totalization Agreement that has been under discussion for over a decade. 

During a meeting with deputy US Trade Representative Robert Holleyman, commerce secretary Rita Teaotia suggested setting up of a separate working group to discuss market access for Indian pharmaceuticals and traditional AYUSH pharmacopeia and professionals. The discussions were a precursor to a ministerial level meeting of the India-US Trade Policy Forum later this year Indian stock market astrology prediction

"She (the commerce secretary) highlighted the need for setting up a High Level Group to discuss India's concerns on US Totalization and Social Security Act(how the policy was discriminatory towards Indian workers in the US, who ended up losing their social security contributions due to discrepancy in the visa and social security regimes, also indicating recourse to legal remedies)," an official statement said. 

While the US signed Totalization Agreements with several countries, India is demanding the same treatment, arguing that Indian workers such as software professionals do not get a refund on return to India as the American administration argues that New Delhi is yet to put in place a welfare net. India says it has put in place a social security net, but that has not found support as the US has argued that the system should be like its scheme Share Market Astrology 

Along with social security refunds, Teaotia also raised the issue of high visa costs in the US which, she said, is impacting Indian IT professionals working there. 

Market access for farm goods including rice, mangoes, pomegranates and table grapes also figured in the discussion, the statement said. US labour department's listing of textile products is acting as a non-tariff barrier and has impacted exports of certain textile products to the US, it added Nifty Trading Tips