US on Saturday said several new jobs could be generated in India by the proposed assembling of American products in the country, while contending that New Delhi was not singled out in its decision to raise visa fees.
US also said it saw abundant opportunities in India in areas of medical technology, power, financial services, hi-technology and clean energy.
India's rising middle-class population would encourage the US firms to invest in the country, US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke told the private business channel CNBC TV18.
He said US expected employment opportunities to be generated due to the ample scope that existed for assembling products in India which are manufactured in the US.
About 200 entrepreneurs each from America and India are participating in a business summit on Saturday.
Locke said, however, that mutual Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) interest of entrepreneurs needs to be protected and called for strong IPR laws.
On the decision to raise US visa fees, Locke said Indian IT firms had not been singled out while taking the decision and people from countries like South Korea and Taiwan would also pay more.
The US government had decided to increase the visa fee to raise an additional $600 million to beef up security along its border with Mexico.
The impact had perhaps appeared disproportionate as a large number of visas for the professionals are applied for by India, Locke said.
Asked if other US states would follow Ohio's ban on outsourcing work to foreign companies, Locke said that India had been affected as it was not a signatory to the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) under the WTO.
The GPA is a pact that deals with the issues relating to government purchases.
He said the US would encourage India to become a signatory as America can buy services from India or any other signatory country, as per the Agreement.
