India wants social security pact with US

Lalit K Jha

Washington, May 22 (PTI) India Friday said it is keen
to have a social security pact with the United States, on the
lines New Delhi has with the European countries, to address
issues like double payment by companies of both the countries.

"We are interested in a social security dialogue. We
have discussed with the US side on the conclusion of what is
called a totalisation of agreement by our IT companies,"
India's new envoy to the US Meera Shankar said at a reception
hosted in her honour by the US-India Business Council.

Acknowledging that there may be some reservations
here, she said: "Clearly we would like to pursue an agreement
on avoidance, perhaps as the first step, of double payment of
social security by the US companies in India for US nationals
who may be employed there and by the Indian companies in the
US for Indian nationals who may be employed here."

It is a kind of agreement, which India has concluded
with several European partners.

"It should be possible for us to take this forward,"
she said in her maiden public engagement after presenting her
credentials to President Barack Obama Thursday.

"From the US side, interests have been expressed in
commencing negotiations on a bilateral investment treaty and
we hope to do that as soon as the new government is in place,"
she added. PTI LKJ
PMR
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