The Hindu Business Line : Nasscom, USIBA ink pact for cooperation

THE US India Business Alliance (USIBA) and the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding for co-operation in areas relating to immigration, outsourcing and strategies for growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

As per the agreement, USIBA would facilitate discussions with key members of the US Congress in establishing special visa provisions.

It would also facilitate talks with key members of the Congress for hiking the H1-B visa cap, and undertake confidence-building measures between Nasscom and State Government officials in key US States.

Nasscom, on its part, would facilitate meetings between visiting dignitaries that USIBA brings from America and its own members.

It would also offer networking opportunities for USIBA officials at Nasscom's key events hosted in the US during the tenure of this MoU and provide opportunities for co-hosting events annually.

Under the MoU signed by Mr Kiran Karnik, President of Nasscom and Mr Sanjay Puri, CEO of USIBA, the two sides would also look at devising joint strategies to foster growth of SMEs, and create awareness amongst various State Governments in the US about IT companies and opportunities for bilateral trade.

Commenting on the development, Mr Karnik said, "the US is India's largest partner in the IT sector. Nasscom has been working with like-minded organisations in the US to further the strategic partnership between the two countries. With this MoU, we hope to bring together the expertise of both the organisations and facilitate US-India trade through various initiatives, particularly, in high-tech industries."

According to Mr Puri, "Nasscom represents some of the best and brightest of the companies in India and it will be very exciting to see how USIBA and Nasscom can work towards furthering bilateral growth in US-India trade."