US protectionist tone to have bearing on IT sector: Forbes

The protectionist sentiments in the US will have a bearing on the Indian IT industry but Indo-US bilateral relations in other economic and strategic sectors will "continue to move forward" under the new Trump regime, according to CII President Naushad Forbes.

"It has been there in the campaign, it has been there in the run up to the inauguration with fairly unbelievable involvement in policy-making through tweets," Forbes told PTI when asked if there is increasing protectionism in the US.

Asked if the protectionist sentiments in the US have been on a rise, he said, "Oh yes, without question but pointed out that the impact would be limited to specific sectors. He said with exception to the IT and BPO industry, relations will continue to progress on the "security, strategic side, and economic side".

"One exception is the IT services business ... I think the IT services business will be affected by the protectionist noises that we are hearing. It is something that we will have to deal with and engage with, as best we can.

"For the rest of the relationship, the broader economic relationship, the rest of industry ... because the Indian industry is a very active investor in the US and the US industry is a very active investor in India, they will continue to be so ... and the broader security relationship between the Governments, I think all that will continue to move forward," he said.

On whether CII will lead a delegation to the US to meet up with policymakers after the new President assumes charge in January, Forbes said that the chamber's annual CEOs mission to the US is slated for mid-this year.

"We do an annual CEOs mission to the US, we will definitely be doing that ... It usually is in June-July and that would be the right time also because by then the new administration would be fully in place, and that will be the right time to start engaging in a deep way with the administration he said.