On April 16, Sanjay Chadha, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, joined USISPF members on a webinar to provide updates on the Ministry of Commerce & Industry’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In discussion with USISPF CEO & President Dr. Mukesh Aghi, Secretary Chadha provided insight into the Government of India’s next steps, and highlighted opportunities for the U.S. and India to deepen their economic partnership in the future.
Secretary Chadha stated that the government of India has two priorities right now, to contain the coronavirus and to address the impact of COVID-19 on the economy. He spoke optimistically about the future of U.S.-India trade, highlighting U.S. companies as playing an important role in reopening India’s economy after the lockdown is lifted. He advised USISPF member companies on procedures for seeking assistance on logistic and operational issues as a result of the national lockdown and, noting that Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines are interpreted on a state-by-state basis, reiterated the importance of communicating with local authorities.