IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 928 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the 

trade relationship between the United States and India. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 17, 2008 

Mr. DREIER (for himself and Mr. CROWLEY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with 

respect to the trade relationship between the United 

States and India. 

Whereas the United States and India are the world’s two 

largest democracies; 

Whereas the bilateral relationship between the two countries 

is based on a shared commitment to the fundamental values of democracy, the rule of law, political pluralism, and 

economic opportunity; 

Whereas this bilateral relationship has taken on a new vibrancy in recent years as the two countries cooperate increasingly on key issues such as energy, security, public 

health, and the promotion of democracy; 


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•HRES 928 IH 

Whereas India has the world’s 12th largest economy in nominal gross domestic product (GDP), but rises to the 

world’s 3d largest economy when measured by purchasing 

power parity; 

Whereas, in 1991, India embarked on an economic liberalization agenda with the intent of stimulating economic 

growth; 

Whereas India’s economic reforms in the intervening years 

have led to the doubling of its middle class as a percentage of total population; 

Whereas increased trade flows and greater global economic 

competitiveness have led to high growth in India in recent years, including GDP growth of 9.2 percent in 2006; 

Whereas the rise of the Indian economy has significantly enhanced the economic relationship between the United 

States and India; 

Whereas trade between the United States and India was valued at $32,000,000,000 in 2006; 

Whereas United States exports to India have doubled over 

the last five years; 

Whereas the United States is India’s largest trading partner; 

Whereas the United States is India’s largest investment partner; 

Whereas the United States and India established the U.S.- 

India Economic Dialogue on March 23, 2000, in order to 

enhance their bilateral economic relationship; 

Whereas the Economic Dialogue was expanded in 2005 to include three new initiatives—the Information and Communication Technology Working Group, the CEO Forum, 

and the U.S.-India Agricultural Knowledge Initiative; 


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•HRES 928 IH 

Whereas new opportunities in the Indian market have increased the competitiveness of United States companies 

that are globally engaged, and have helped to create new 

jobs in the United States, while improving the quality of 

life for Indians as well; 

Whereas the liberalization process in India is still underway; 

Whereas significant barriers to the free flow of goods, services, and capital still exist in the Indian market; 

Whereas 650,000,000 Indians still live in poverty and lack 

access to the opportunities offered by the worldwide marketplace; 

Whereas Indian tariff and nontariff barriers to trade are even 

more damaging to the Indian economy than to the 

United States economy; 

Whereas the protection of intellectual property rights is a key 

issue for the United States economy in the 21st century; 

Whereas India’s increasingly technology- and knowledgebased economy is also facing a growing need for rigorous 

protection of intellectual property rights; 

Whereas a market-based, technology-neutral regulatory environment is critical to fostering innovation; 

Whereas services account for a majority of both the United 

States and Indian economies; 

Whereas India has pursued free trade agreements with a 

number of its regional trading partners; 

Whereas the United States and India continue to participate 

in multilateral talks at the World Trade Organization 

(WTO); 

Whereas the United States is committed to continuing its 

leadership in the WTO, working toward a comprehensive 


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•HRES 928 IH 

agreement that brings about meaningful liberalization in 

the developed and developing worlds; and 

Whereas the United States is committed to working within a 

multilateral context to reduce subsidies, increase market 

access for all goods and services, and reduce nontariff 

barriers to trade: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) the United States should initiate negotia4 tions to enter into a free trade agreement with 

5 India; and 

6 (2) the United States and India should continue 

7 to vigorously pursue multilateral negotiations for a 

8 broad-based reduction in tariffs, subsidies, and other 

9 non-tariff barriers to trade throughout the developed 

10 and developing worlds. 

Æ 


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