Advancing U.S.-India Economic Ties: BIT and Beyond

June 8, 2012

The U.S.- India economic partnership is a key component of the bilateral relationship, yet there are still many barriers to trade and investment.  The strategic dialogue provides an excellent opportunity to give U.S.-India economic ties a push forward by setting a timeframe for concluding a Bilateral Investment Treaty. Today India has investment agreements with some 80 countries. U.S. investors do not want to be left behind. Moreover, according to Select USA, India is one of the top ten fastest-growing sources of direct foreign investment into the U.S., at a time when overall FDI into the U.S. is declining. Expediting and concluding a Bilateral Investment Treaty would open markets for investors in both countries, strengthen the two-way economic partnership, and perhaps lead to more transformative trade agreements down the road.