US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross’ India visit cancelled on bad weather

NEW DELHI: New Delhi: Winter storm in the US has led to the cancellation of US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross’ visit to India. Ross, who was to visit India for the India-US Commercial Dialogue and the CEO Forum on Thursday, will now participate in both the meetings via video conference.

“Due to cancellation of flight, US Commerce Secretary will not be attending the India-US Commercial Dialogue. However, the CEO Forum & Commercial Dialogue will take place tomorrow with CEOs and officials participating from both sides,” said an official

His visit was crucial as the two sides are negotiating a mutually agreeable bilateral trade package to resolve a plethora of contentious issues, including the one on import duties on American ICT (information and communication technology) products, dairy imports, data localisation and preferential tariffs for Indian exports. Digital infrastructure, emerging technologies, defence and aerospace were also high on the agenda.


US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster will lead the discussions for the India US CEO Forum and the Commercial Dialogue.

Ross was to co-chair the Forum with commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu. The co-chairs for the US- India CEO Forum are Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran and James Taiclet, Chairman, President and CEO of American Tower Corporation.

The US private sector members of the CEO Forum include MasterCard President and CEO Ajay Banga, JC2 Ventures LLC Founder and CEO John Chambers, Amway co-chairman Douglas DeVos, MoneyGram International Chairman and CEO Alexander Holmes and Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf, among others.