US biz delegation to visit India in Nov

IN an effort to bolster trade and commerce between India and the US, a high-level business delegation would visit India in November, a senior Bush Administration official announced last week

The fairly large business development mission from the US would be led by the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Franklin L. Lavin. The announcement comes a few months after the trade and commerce dialogue between the two countries was elevated to the Commerce Secretary level.

‘‘As our economic relationship grows, we must work closely together to ensure that American companies have the opportunity to compete and identify new customers in the fast-growing Indian market,’’ Lavin said in a statement.

The exact composition of the trade mission, comprising of members from a wide range of sectors, would be decided in due course of time. Lavin said trade between the two countries has nearly doubled in the last three years. ‘‘The opportunity for the US business export there has never been better,’’ he said.

The business mission stems from a commitment by President George Bush to elevate the Commercial Dialogue during his March visit to India. In May, Lavin and Indian Commerce Secretary S.N. Menon discussed regular contact at all government levels to discuss day-to-day issues that affect doing business in each other’s markets. India is one of the few countries with which the US has a sub-cabinet dialogue of this nature. Currently, it has sub-cabinet level commercial dialogues with Brazil, China, the EU and NAFTA partners Canada and Mexico.