Prospects for IT-Enabled Services Under a Indo-US FTA

ITES/BPO services is an important and growing component of Indias trade in services with the US. While the Indian government has implemented several measures to support the growth of this sector, Indian companies face various barriers in the US market such as anti-outsourcing regulations, restrictive visa/work permit regime and concerns relating to protection of sensitive data. Multilateral negotiations would have been the best route to address many of these barriers, but with the recent suspension of the Doha Round of talks, it has become important for countries to evaluate alternative routes such as bilateral Free Trade Agreements. In fact, after the suspension of the multilateral negotiations, both India and the US have refocused on bilateral agreements. In this context, this study discusses the current and potential trade between India and the US in ITES/BPO services, identifies barriers to trade and explores how an FTA can enhance bilateral trade in this sector. The study shows that the US-FTAs have achieved a higher level of liberalization than in the WTO. It suggests various negotiating strategies for India such as a negative list approach, signing mutual recognition agreements in key professional services, asking for a H1B1 type of visa, pushing for removal of domestic regulation-related barriers, among others which would enhance market access for Indian companies in the US. It also points out that Indo-US collaborations for data protection, skill development and raising awareness of the advantages of outsourcing in the US would be mutually beneficial. The study discusses regulatory and other reforms which will improve the productivity, efficiency and global competitiveness of this sector and enable the country to gain from the FTA.Indo-US FTA, GATS, bilateral agreements, Business Process Outsourcing, IT-enabled services

Indo-U.S. FTA: Prospects for Audiovisual Services

Many WTO (World Trade Organization) member countries, including India, are defensive about opening up of the audiovisual sector in the Doha Round due to reasons of cultural sensitivity. On the other hand, the United States is pushing for liberalizing trade in this sector - both in the WTO and in its bilateral FTAs (Free Trade Agreements). With the slow progress of the Doha Round, India and the United States are exploring the possibilities of entering into FTAs with like-minded trading partners. In this context, the present paper discusses the prospects of liberalizing audiovisual services under a possible Indo-U.S. FTA. The study found that India and the United States have significant trade complementarities in this sector which can be further enhanced under an FTA. It identifies areas such as co-production of films, digital content creation and broadband infrastructure in which companies from India and the United States can enter into mutually beneficial collaborations. It argues that India should enter into a media cooperation agreement with the U.S. to facilitate the inflow of technical know, finance and best management practices. It discusses regulatory and other reforms which would not only improve the productivity and global competitiveness of the Indian audiovisual sector but also enable it to gain from the FTA.Indo-U.S. FTA, GATS, bilateral agreements, audiovisual, services

Indo-U.S. FTA - Prospects for Audiovisual Services

Many WTO (World Trade Organization) member countries, including India, are defensive about opening up of the audiovisual sector in the Doha Round due to reasons of cultural sensitivity. On the other hand, the United States is pushing for liberalizing trade in this sector both in the WTO and in its bilateral FTAs (Free Trade Agreements). With the slow progress of the Doha Round, India and the United States are exploring the possibilities of entering into FTAs with like-minded trading partners. In this context, the present paper discusses the prospects of liberalizing audiovisual services under a possible Indo-U.S. FTA. The study found that India and the United States have significant trade complementarities in this sector which can be further enhanced under an FTA. It identifies areas such as co-production of films, digital content creation and broadband infrastructure in which companies from India and the United States can enter into mutually beneficial collaborations. It argues that India should enter into a media cooperation agreement with the U.S. to facilitate the inflow of technical know, finance and best management practices. It discusses regulatory and other reforms which would not only improve the productivity and global competitiveness of the Indian audiovisual sector but also enable it to gain from the FTA.Indo-U.S. FTA, GATS, bilateral agreements, audiovisual, Services

Mesonic Excitations of QGP: Study with an Effective Model

We study the correlations between quark-antiquark pairs in different quantum number channels in a deconfined plasma by using an effective model of QCD. Using the three flavour PNJL model, the finite temperature spectral functions for different mesonic states are studied at zero and nonzero quark chemical potentials. It is found that in the $\eta$ channel resonance structures survive above the chiral transition temperature \tc, while the kaonic states seem to get washed off just above \tc. The sensitivity of the structures to the anomaly term are carefully investigated.Comment: 15page

Susceptibilities with multi-quark interactions in PNJL model

We have investigated the fluctuations and the higher order susceptibilities of quark number, isospin number, electric charge and strangeness at vanishing chemical potential for 2+1 flavor Polyakov loop extended Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model. The calculations are performed for the bound effective potential in the quark sector requiring up to eight quark interaction terms. These have been contrasted to the lattice results which currently have somewhat heavier quarks in the light flavor sector. The results show sufficient qualitative agreement. For comparison we also present the results obtained with the conventional effective potential containing upto six quark interaction terms.Comment: To appear Physical Review

Correlation between conserved charges in PNJL Model with multi-quark interactions

We present a study of correlations among conserved charges like baryon number, electric charge and strangeness in the framework of 2+1 flavor Polyakov loop extended Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model at vanishing chemical potentials, up to fourth order. Correlations up to second order have been measured in Lattice QCD which compares well with our estimates given the inherent difference in the pion masses in the two systems. Possible physical implications of these correlations and their importance in understanding the matter obtained in heavy-ion collisions are discussed. We also present comparison of the results with the commonly used unbound effective potential in the quark sector of this model