The Commerce and Industry Ministry and a group of visiting American lawmakers on Monday discussed the proposed U.S. work visa curbs that could impact the Indian IT sector, as well as issues concerning intellectual property rights (IPRs) and market access of certain farm products. The Ministry officials, including Nirmala Sitharaman, and the eight-member delegation deliberated upon these issues, among others, during a 45-minute long meeting, sources said.
While India took up its $110 billion IT sector's concerns on the proposed restrictions on the U.S. non-immigrant visas for foreign skilled workers, the American lawmakers led by Bob Goodlatte, chairman, Judiciary committee, House of Representatives raised concerns on IPR issues, including the need to strengthen copyright norms and provisions to encourage and protect innovation, sources said.