India Plans to Pressure Obama on Outsourcing and H-1B Issues

By Rob Sanchez

11/06/2010

President Obama will get a big reception when he arrives in India this weekend. Indian software and manufacturing interests plan to be among the first ones to meet with Obama. They plan to pressure him on the issues of outsourcing, immigration, and other job related issues. Expect the following issues to be of primary concern to the Indians who will have Obama’s ear:
  1. Offshore Outsourcing: India is worried about an anti-outsourcing backlash in the U.S. so they want assurances that the U.S. won’t move to restrict "free trade" with India. They will continue to push for a free trade agreement similar to NAFTA.
  2. H-1B and L-1 Visas: Simply put the Indians want more visas. They will also argue against any increases in the fees charged for visa processing.
  3. Totalization: India wants to link the social security systems of both countries together so that Indians who worked in the U.S. on temporary visas can draw Social Security benefits if they move back to India.
India has been greasing the skids for the Obama visit for quite awhile.
Rao’s meetings with secretary of state Hillary Clinton, national security advisor Gen (Retd) James Jones and other key officials of the Obama administration here yesterday "laid the foundation" of a successful presidential visit to India in early November, the White House said. Nirupama Rao meets Hillary Clinton; conveys India’s concerns on H1B issue, Sep 18, 2010, Daily News and Analysis, India
NASSCOM, Tata, and Infosys will waste no time pushing for more H-1B/L-1 visas:
Nasscom, the group representing Indian software companies such as Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and Infosys Technologies Ltd., will meet with Obama during his India visit this weekend to lobby against legislation to add additional fees and penalties to working visas for non-U.S. citizens.

”The visa issue is significant for a very simple reason — it indicates a mindset of protectionism,” said T.V. Mohandas Pai, head of human resources development at Bangalore-based Infosys, India’s second-biggest software maker. “You want the markets to be open. The only way for the world economy to grow is to keep them open.” Indian Software Companies Will Press Obama on Visa Restrictions, by Ketaki Gokhale — Nov 2, 2010, Bloomberg

The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), which is a lobbyist organization formed by a coalition of U.S. and Indian companies, will lay it on the line to Obama concerning India’s desire to merge our Social Security with theirs:
”Developing a viable alternative to a Totalisation Agreement, and making it suitable to today’s Knowledge Partnership with India, is a practical fix which is especially important as our two economies become more closely intertwined.” Endorse India for permanent UNSC seat: USIBC asks Obama, Nov6, Bellevision

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