How do you view US President Donald Trump’s visit to India?
I think it is an important visit. The two leaders have had several meetings, including two bilateral trips by Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi to the United States as well as other meetings on the margins of other summits.... On top of that there is high momentum on strategic and security partnership with 2+2 [ministerial dialogues]. It is an opportunity to put greater focus on economic relationship and defence partnership.... Hopefully, with this visit, some key issues on the economic front can be addressed.
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was supposed to come to India before the presidential visit, but he cancelled the trip. Do you see it as a setback?
Of course, it is a setback. [He] was not able to go to India last week to hammer out a trade deal. Both sides are indicating that it [a trade deal] is unlikely, but the conversations are ongoing. So you never know....
What are the sticking points in the India-US trade relationship?
India wanted the Generalised System of Preference restored, [and] also sought to get exemption from steel and aluminium tariffs. India also wants more relaxation on H-1B visas.
For the US, there has been long-standing issues including price control on medical devices, ITC (Indian tariff code) tariffs, concern about data localisation, and larger privacy and data governance concerns. We would like to see free flow of data between two countries.... The new budget that came out [put] additional concerns on tariffs. Lack of liberalisation in insurance sector and continuing uncertainty on e-commerce policy [are also issues]. American companies feel that [there is no] level playing field.
Will Trump’s visit to India help him gain the vote of the Indian-American community?
I am not going to get into politics. But the Indian-American community’s growing influence in American society, economy and political life has been felt by successive administrations and [it is] certainly one that the president is well aware of.