October 28, 2014
News Release 14-109
Inv. No. 332-550
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has launched an investigation to examine significant changes since mid-2014 by the Indian government to India's trade and investment policies.

The investigation, Trade and Investment Policies in India, 2014-2015, was requested jointly by the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance in a letter received on September 25, 2014.

The investigation is the second investigation regarding India's trade and investment policies requested by the Committees.

In 2013, the Committees jointly asked the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, to investigate Indian policies that restrict U.S. trade and investment. The USITC will submit its report in that investigation (Trade, Investment, and Industrial Policies in India: Effects on the U.S. Economy, USITC Inv. No. 332-543) to the Committees on December 15, 2014.

In the request letter for the new investigation, the Committees stated: "Given the recent national elections in India and the formation of a new Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, and our interest in receiving the most comprehensive and up-to-date information possible, we now request that the Commission conduct a second investigation concerning India's industrial policies that discriminate against U.S. trade and investment since the first ITC investigation."

As requested, in its new investigation, the USITC will provide information about any significant changes by the Indian government to the trade and investment policies identified in the Commission's ongoing investigation. The USITC will also include information on any new relevant new trade and investment policies and practices in India, focusing on the period from mid-2014.

The USITC expects to deliver the report to the Committees by September 24, 2015.

The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with this investigation at 9:30 a.m. on April 7, 2015. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on March 24, 2015, with the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. For further information, call 202-205-2000.

The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions on this investigation should be addressed to the Secretary at the above address and should be submitted at the earliest practical date, but no later than 5:15 p.m. on June 2, 2015. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.

Further information on the scope of the investigation and appropriate submissions is available in the USITC's notice of investigation, dated October 28, 2014, which can be obtained from the USITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov) or by contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or at 202-205-2000.

USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.