A day after the French Ambassador’s comment underscoring the investor’s apprehension about West Bengal as an investment destination, a senior fellow of an American policy think-tank said that “lot of negatives are heard (about Bengal) in Washington. The fellow, Rick Rossow, questioned Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s ostensible reluctance to engage with the United States (US) unlike her counterpart in Assam or Andhra Pradesh (A.P.). Mr Rossow is described as a “senior fellow” in elite American think-tank, Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), and helped shaping policies for "greater business and economic engagement” between US and India, according to the Center’s website. He visited Indian 60 times in last 16 years, Kolkata for the first time.
Answering a question on Bengal’s image as a business destination in United States Mr. Rossow said that there are “lot of questions (about Bengal in the US). “What we hear is lot of negatives than positives,” he said.
He appreciated the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the erstwhile Chief Minister of Gujarat and Chandrababu Naidu in A.P. as all them “steadfastly supported liberalisation” for their respective States. He also highlighted that Ms. Banerjee’s reluctance to engage herself with the US. Similar praises were heaped on Assam's Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for welcoming foreign investment in retail.
Whereas Ms. Banerjee has not engaged herself with Washington. "She has not visited Washington," said Mr. Rossow and in a different context added that such visits to US can be initiated to draw investments through various public relations exercise. “Some Chief Ministers envisioned such engagements, like Chandrababu Naidu, when Hyderabad was nothing…(and) transformation of Hyderabad is stunning,” he added. US Consul General based in Kolkata, Helen Lafave also encouraged Ms Banerjee to visit the US. “When she went to Singapore, she said she could be interested to visit other places. We welcome her to come to US. (We said) please let us know when you ready to do that and we can see what we can do about it,” Ms LaFave said.
Expectations from Obama’s visit
Ahead of American president’s India visit expectations are brewing on both sides for engagements in various sectors. Mr. Rossow gave a broad outline of the expectations from the visit. “The biggest deliverable on the table is 10 year Defence Framework Agreement (DFA), which expires in June. But the visit will only set the ball rolling regarding the agreement. I think, it will not get announced here but only the logjams will be discussed,” Mr. Rossow said. The DFA is crucial in the backdrop of BJP government’s initiative to “de-regulate” and “open up the defence industry than any other sector.”
The other crucial area that may feature in discussion between countries is the supply of US gas to India. “More than 30 terminals applied for the license (to supply gas to countries not bound by trade agreement) and two of those (terminals) contracted for supply to India.” These terminals are potential largest gas suppliers to India in the coming years, Mr. Russow said.
