It's no secret that during the presidential campaign, American business and industry, particularly those doing business in India and China, were wary of Democrat Barack Obama.
Their caution emanated from fears that Obama might pander to workers' unions, gut outsourcing and eliminate H-1B visas, as opposed to 'the free trader' Republican John McCain, who had repeatedly stated that he would promote free trade and expand the professional visa category programme.
But now that the election is over and Obama is the new President-elect, organisations like the US-India Business Council have been scrambling to get the message out that such fears were unfounded and that an Obama administration would be good for enhanced US-India commercial ties.
In New Delhi, the USIBC launched its first phase of 'transition briefings' ahead of President-elect Obama's inauguration January 20 as the 44th President of the United States, with former Defense Secretary William Cohen -- a member of the USIBC board -- assuring the participants that the commercial partnership between India and the US would continue to deepen in an Obama administration.
Cohen, an erstwhile Republican Senator from Maine, who was appointed Defense Secretary by the Democratic Clinton administration, said, "Indo-US relations enjoy strong bipartisan support in the US, as was evident by the overwhelming support for the civil nuclear agreement."
Thus, he told senior USIBC members based in India at an exclusive conclave convened to share perceptions and aspirations about the incoming transition: "I am confident that an Obama administration, whose leadership and advisers include many friends of India, will continue on this positive path."
Cohen, chairman and CEO of The Cohen Group, met with In-Country USIBC members in New Delhi, November 19 at a CEO Roundtable, titled 'Transformation and Innovation: The Way Forward', which was chaired by USIBC board member Tejpreet Chopra, president and CEO, GE India, and hosted by Anuj Puri, chairman and country head, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj.
Executives from top companies involved in the US-India commercial partnership participated in the roundtable and included Amarchand Mangaldas, AT & T, Avanta Group, Bharat Forge, Computer Associates, Caterpillar, Genworth, Hirco, IBM, Lockheed Martin, and Punj Lloyd.
In Washington, USIBC president Ron Somers told rediff.com: "I believe those fears are unfounded," about an Obama administration penalising companies outsourcing and relocating overseas.
"I believe that we have to separate campaign rhetoric from actual policy and policy implementation," he said, and pointed out that "President-elect Obama, just the other-day, articulated that India will be a priority in his administration and all of our companies now are engaged, not any longer in outsourcing, but in value-addition, which the Indian companies are providing, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."
Somers argued that "the industry in India has evolved considerably, where value-addition is there and all of our companies will be advocating in favor of global sourcing because this enables our US companies to remain competitive globally."
Thus, he said, this is what US business and industry would be drilling into the Obama administration that it's the value-add by Indian industry that helps American companies to be globally competitive and "so we will be encouraging the Obama administration to take a very forward leaning view on partnership with India."
"Let us not forget that Vice President-elect Joe Biden, a dear friend of India, is there and so I am very confident that this is going to be one of those great history-changing events where we have a young president that will resonate and be able to connect with a very useful demographic of India."
He predicted that "it will be this presidency that will bring our countries even closer together."