Locke made the announcement at a U.S.-India Business and
Entrepreneurship Summit in Mumbai, where Obama sat down to
discuss economic and technology issues with a small group of U.S. and
Indian business leaders. The president and Locke were joined
by executives from the electric car, solar power and clean drinking-water industries in India to discuss how to strengthen commercial ties
between the nations.
According to the White House, U.S. exports are up nearly 18 percent over a year ago, with the White House hoping to capitalize on that momentum by removing trade barriers for U.S. firms in foreign markets. India’s economy was heavily regulated until the mid-1990s and remains mostly closed to agricultural goods from the U.S. and other western nations.
Locke’s trip will last from Feb. 6-11 and will feature stops in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. It will be his second trade mission as Commerce chief; he led a clean energy mission to China and Indonesia in May.