Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke gave the keynote speech today at an event sponsored by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi, one of the events on a trade and business mission he is leading through India this week. Twenty-four U.S. businesses are represented on the trip, including several manufacturers.

The Commerce Department is blogging the trip. Key excerpt from the secretary’s speech:

Between 2004 and 2008, trade doubled between India and the United States. 

And ours is increasingly a partnership of equals. . .

. . . With major U.S. multinationals like Cisco, GE and IBM locating major research and development facilities here, and depending on Indian scientists and engineers to do growing amounts of higher value-added work.

I think the growing respect that U.S. businesses have for India can be summed up by the words of a Cisco executive who said:

We came to India for the costs, we stayed for the quality and we’re now investing for innovation.

Key caveat:

Even though India has made tremendous strides to open up its economy, there is much work left to be done. (continue reading…)

President Obama took steps forward this weekend to promote both U.S. trade and national security by announcing significant  export control reforms with India.  According to a Whitehouse Fact Sheet, “Indian Prime Minister Singh and President Obama committed to work together to strengthen the global non-proliferation and export control framework and further transform our bilateral export control cooperation to realize the full potential of the strategic partnership between the two countries.”

So what does this really mean?  For one, the United States is going to actively work with India to help the country gain membership in the four multilateral export control regimes.  This is significant not only because the National Association of Manufacturers specifically called for improved multilateral engagement in our Manufacturing Blueprint for a 21^st Century Export Control Regime, but also because effective proliferation controls depend upon strong multilateral controls. India’s membership will promote greater harmonization of export control systems and help drive consistent implementation of standards across member countries. Given India’s ever increasing and growing role in global security and economic matters, this integration is important for U.S. national security and the manufacturing sector.

Second, the United States will “realign” India in its dual-use export control regulations to reflect India’s status as a strategic partner, effectively treating India similarly to other close allies and partners. India will no longer be listed as a “country of concern” and will establish re-export controls to prevent bad actors from trying to export U.S. technology in India to proscribed third countries. This realignment is significant given the President’s previously announced reforms.  Under the Administration’s proposed three-tiered control list, allies and partners will receive considerably more favorable treatment and exports to those countries will be subject to fewer restrictions.
(continue reading…)

We thank the President for drawing attention to an important process in the history of sound recording and mass distribution. 

From an RCA Victor-sponsored film, “Command Performance,” produced by Ganz Co.

One ingredient is the finest shellac obtainable, which is brought from India. Another resin ingredient is from the East Indies, and like the shellac, is ground into fine powder before mixing.

Eighteen other ingredients gathered from distant places are carefully and accurately weighed in to ensure the most exact proportions to make a correct, final mixture. All ingredients are finely ground and put into the mixer to be carefully combined under heat with the powdered shellac, which is sucked into the machine through a vacuum pipe.

Now all is ready, and the Banbury Mixer rolls!

The entire 19-minute film is available at Archive.org, the Prelinger Archives, at “Command Performance.” The clip quoted above starts here.

Interesting that the manufacturing of 78s was such a globally integrated operation. Shellac from India! And where does the President first travel after admitting he took a “shellacking” on Election Day? India!

P.S. The Banbury Mixer – generations more advanced, of course — is still a valuable piece of manufacturing equipment, produced by the Farrel Corporation, headquartered in Ansonia, CT.

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Vice President for International Economic Affairs Frank Vargo issued the following trade commentary regarding the Paris meeting of trade ministers this week to discuss the Doha Round:

The only way that a balanced Doha Round outcome that benefits all nations – including the United States, but especially including the least developed countries – can be obtained is if U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and his negotiating team make it plain that the United States will settle for nothing less.  The U.S. has been the primary force for global liberalization in all previous rounds of global trade negotiations, and that role now falls to Ambassador Kirk in the Doha Round. In Paris this week, Ambassador Kirk stood firm, saying “The real question is whether India and Brazil and China are ready to assume a role and responsibility commensurate with their benefits that have been realized under global liberalization…We can talk around it, but that’s the only way this is going to happen.”  The NAM agrees, and believes this is the only way a successful Doha Round is possible.  We appreciate Ambassador Kirk’s clear and determined position, which has led to a growing number of WTO members beginning to support the U.S. view.