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NEW DELHI (AP) — India's top diplomat will visit Washington this week for talks with the new U.S. administration, an Indian foreign ministry official said Sunday.
Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar is expected to discuss with American officials India's concerns over proposed U.S. legislation that could make it harder for companies to replace American workers with those from India and other countries. Also expected to be on the agenda during Jaishankar's four-day visit, which begins Tuesday, is safety for foreigners following a Kansas bar shooting that killed an Indian engineer and wounded another.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said only that Jaishankar would be going to the U.S. for talks, without offering details. News reports said Jaishankar would meet with Acting Deputy Secretary of State Tom Shannon and other U.S. officials.
President Donald Trump has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the United States later this year.
U.S.-India relations generally prospered under the Obama administration, but New Delhi will be hoping that Trump takes a tougher line on Pakistan, which receives substantial U.S. aid. India and Pakistan are neighbors and have fought three wars.
However, Trump's strong stand against exporting U.S. jobs has raised concerns in India, which has a thriving industry for American companies that offshore customer service call centers.
Shares of top Indian IT companies sank 2 percent to 4 percent on the Bombay Stock Exchange early this month in response to news of proposed U.S. legislation that could make it harder for companies to replace American workers with those from countries like India.
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