India raises social security, mkt access concerns

1. India raises social security, mkt
access concerns with US

2. Contd..
• 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
IndiaUS Trade Policy Forum later this year.

3. Contd..
• “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
soft ware 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. 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.

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