India, US talking export curbs on high-tech items: FM

[LETHALFORCE]

India, US talking export curbs on high-tech items: FM - The Economic Times

WASHINGTON: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said India has taken up with the US the issue of export control in high-technology trade, and pressed for a number of Indian units to be removed from its restricted Entity List.

Speaking to media persons at the conclusion of his three-day trip to Washington where he attended the bi-annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank , Mukherjee expressed satisfaction over the overall progress in Indo-US defence ties.

But, he pointed out, that the issue of export control was an area where more movement is needed. "... it is one area where we do feel that a number of Indian units which are in their entity list should be removed from the list, we are talking export control also, we are in the process of dialogue," Mukherjee said.

The Finance Minister said India and the US had come "much closer" both economically and politically as well as in the field of defence in the last few years.

"... some major instruments which have been signed during this period, take the case of defence, which we never contemplated of having any cooperation in the defence sector, but when I was defence minister, we signed defence framework co-operation, on the basis of which now on Government to government FMS route defence exchanges are taking place, we are talking...," he said.

The US Department of Commerce's Entity List contains a list of foreign end users which might have proliferation concerns. The list is aimed at assisting exporters in determining whether an entity poses proliferation concerns.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

India seeks easing of US high tech export curbs

India seeks easing of US high tech export curbs

Washington, Oct 10 (IANS) Ahead of President Barack Obama's November visit to India, the two sides are talking about easing Washington's curbs on export of high tech items and removing certain Indian units from the US entities list.

'We do feel a number of (Indian) units on their entity list should be removed from their list,' to reflect the growing India-US strategic partnership,' Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters here Sunday wrapping up his four-day visit during which he also met Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

'We are talking,' he said.

Mukherjee, who was here to attend the International Monetary Fund-World Bank annual meetings over the weekend, said he had discussed bilateral issues with Clinton only in general terms before the Obama visit, but did not raise any specific issue.

'I did not raise any specific issue because these discussions are taking place at different levels,' he said when asked if he had raised with Clinton the issue of the steep hike in US H1B visa fees for IT professionals.

Moreover various visiting Indian officials had in recent days discussed their respective subjects.

Mukherjee also reiterated India's hope that it would get a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, when it is expanded, but he could not say whether it would on the table in talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Obama.

The agenda is being worked out, he said but pointed out that the issue was highlighted at their previous meetings.

'I feel when the reforms in the UN will take place and the Security Council expanded in the permanent category, India will have a place. I hope so,' Mukherjee said. 'But first it has to be expanded.'

 

[borgking82]

Does anyone knows what the high tech items they're talking about?