'Be job creator to shed job-taker image of India'

BANGALORE, INDIA: Even as President Obama is struggling hard to ensure more job opportunities to the US citizens by imposing some restrictions on outsourcing jobs and increasing visa fees for IT professionals, a US business leader said that India's top IT companies need to open new facilities in the U.S to create more employment opportunities for locals.

According to Ron Somers, president of US India Business Council, such a move would change the perception that Indian IT companies are job-takers.

“America is still in deep and in dark recession,” said Somers, at an interactive session organized by Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) in association with Indo-American Chamber of Commerce - South India Council, here on Monday, said a PTI report.

“And if I were Wipro, or Infosys, I would do my level best to open up virgin facilities in the United States where you can create jobs so that Americans in Arkansas, in Nebraska, in every constituency where important Senators and Congressmen sit, at least can point to the fact that India is a job-creator and not job-taker,” he said.

He also said the UID introduction will help in stemming leakages and pilferage and eventually help the country's growth to become 'inclusive and democratic'.

Earlier, USIBC had opposed the decision of the US to increase visa processing fee for IT professionals to fund the border security measures has invited the wrath of American corporate sector.

The trade association representing over 300 top US companies doing business with India had also proposed that India and the US should strengthen economic partnership by strengthening their collaboration in the field of educational and also by signing a free trade agreement.