India raises concerns on US immigration reforms; seeks greater access

NEW DELHI: India today conveyed its concerns to the US pertaining to their immigration reforms currently under consideration and sought greater access for its highly-skilled non-immigrants.

Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai and US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns also discussed ways to take forward Indo-US nuclear cooperation with India reaffirming its commitment to pursuing nuclear cooperation with the US, official sources said here.

Burns' visit is in preparation for the forthcoming Indo- US Strategic Dialogue scheduled to be held here in the latter half of June and during the discussions, both reviewed the full range of bilateral relations and agreed to focus further on the economic issues, the sources said.

"We raised matters relating to immigration reforms currently under consideration in the USA and sought greater access for highly-skilled non-immigrant categories," the sources said, adding the US raised issues relating to Preferential Market Access.

Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao has also already flagged India's concerns over the comprehensive immigration reform bill carrying eight killer provisions which, if passed by the Congress, may prove to be detrimental to the interests of major Indian IT companies.