PM to discuss video piracy in US

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who left for Washington on Saturday, is likely to take up with the US authorities the issue of video and cable piracy that has been causing huge losses to both American and Indian entertainment companies.

The matter was first raised with US officials by India's Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia during his visit to the US last month.

According to the Planning Commission sources, the PM would discuss the problem of video piracy.

This has been a major problem for US (and Indian) companies and there are huge losses with many Hollywood films and films from Asian countries (produced by US companies) being pirated as VCDs and video cassettes in India.

It is likely that the government may consider further amending the existing Copyright Act.

The menace of piracy can be dealt with only if the Indian government gets serious about reforming its judicial system by removing the procedural hurdles that unnecessarily prolong court proceedings.

According to film industry estimates, trade losses due to piracy in various sectors in India till 1998 was to the tune of $311.8 million.

India has to take necessary action to free its own huge copyright industry and that of the US as well from piracy, industry sources said.