US commerce secretary to lead hi-tech trade mission to India on Sunday

US commerce secretary Gary Locke will arrive in New Delhi on Sunday as the head of a hi-tech trade mission. His visit will focus on breaking down barriers for American businesses through meetings with top government and corporate officials in the course of a six-day visit.

The trade mission, comprises 24 companies from 13 states, and is the first visit by an American cabinet secretary to India following the visit of US President Barack Obama in November, 2010.

Locke will meet in addition to government and corporate officials, senior personnel of the Department of Atomic Energy and Nuclear Power Corporation of India.

He will also engage with the top brass at ISRO which was recently removed by the US from a list of entities to be denied access to sensitive technologies.

Locke is also scheduled to pay a visit to the dabbawallas (tiffin carriers) of Mumbai. The delegation which includes senior officials from the Export-Import Bank (EX-IM) and US Trade Development Agency (TDA), will stop in New Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai.

The US commerce secretary is expected to highlight export opportunities as also efforts to break down tariff and non-tariff barriers for US businesses in the advanced industrial sector, including areas like civil-nuclear trade, defence and security, civil aviation and information and communication technologies.