In a follow-up of the Joint Statement of Prime Minister of India and President of United States of America in September, 2014, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed here today between Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India and Department of Commerce, United States of America (USA) on establishing Infrastructure Collaboration Platform.

This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishes a United States-India Infrastructure Collaboration Platform, under which both the Governments intend to coordinate and cooperate with the goal of facilitating U.S. industry participation in Indian infrastructure projects to improve the bilateral commercial relationship and benefit both the Participants’ economies.

Shri Dinesh Sharma, Additional Secretary, DEA signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of India while Shri Arun M. Kumar, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets, Department of Commerce signed it on behalf of United States of America respectively.

Representatives of Indian Infrastructure Ministries such as Urban Development, Commerce and Industry, Railways, Road Transport and Highways, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Information and Broadcasting, Communications & Information Technology, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, were also present during the meeting, along with representative of Ministry of External Affairs.

Infrastructure collaboration platform facilitates U.S. industry participation in Indian infrastructure projects to enhance bilateral commercial ties. A bilateral Memorandum of Understanding establishes an Infrastructure Collaboration Platform to coordinate government cooperation to facilitate U.S. industry participation in Indian infrastructure projects, aiming to strengthen bilateral commercial ties and deliver mutual economic benefits; it was signed by the Department of Economic Affairs for India and the U.S. Department of Commerce, with multiple Indian infrastructure ministries participating to enable inter-ministerial coordination and project facilitation.