ANSI announces launch of Indian content on StandardsPortal.

Press Release Summary:



Facilitating international trade, StandardsPortal was launched in New Delhi, India in ceremony organized by Confederation of Indian Industry. Online resource was originally developed to support trade and exports between U.S. and Peoples' Republic of China by providing information on standards and conformance requirements and systems in both markets. In December 2007, leaders of ANSI, CII, and BIS signed Memorandum of Understanding to incorporate Indian content into StandardsPortal.



Original Press Release:



New StandardsPortal Content Provides Trade Resource for U.S. and Indian Markets



The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is pleased to announce the launch of new Indian content on the StandardsPortal (www.standardsportal.org), an online resource that facilitates international trade. The StandardsPortal was launched last week in New Delhi, India, in a ceremony organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), a leading industry organization in India that represents over 90,000 local and multinational companies doing business in India. The ceremony was attended by the president and CEO of ANSI, high-ranking officials of the government of India, and other dignitaries.

"Eighty percent of global commodity trade is impacted by standards and conformity assessment programs," said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO, during his opening remarks. "This means roughly $12.6 trillion in 2008 alone. If we are not all on the same page, the international community - particularly industry - experiences a lot of duplicative effort and incurs a lot of unnecessary cost.

"Time and again we have seen that those who understand how to effectively influence and address standardization and compliance issues have the greatest success in the international marketplace," Mr. Bhatia added. "With the trade relationship between India and the United States growing by leaps and bounds, this is the perfect time to make such a resource available for everyone's benefit."

Mr. Bhatia was joined at the launch event by Mallikarjun Kharge, Indian minister of Labor and Employment; Yashwant Bhave, secretary of the Indian Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution; Venu Srinivasan, president of CII; and Chandrajit Banerjee, director general of CII, whose remarks underscored India's growing commitment to public-private partnerships and the international standardization community.

The StandardsPortal is an online resource originally developed in 2006 to support trade and exports between the U.S. and the Peoples' Republic of China by providing information on standards and conformance requirements and systems in both markets. In December 2007, leaders of ANSI, CII, and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) - India's national standards body - signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to incorporate Indian content into the StandardsPortal.

The StandardsPortal is a deliverable of the U.S.-India Standards and Conformance Cooperation Program (SCCP), an initiative that was launched earlier this year by ANSI, CII, and BIS. The SCCP consists of two complimentary projects: one is supported with funding from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and focuses on sectors of interest to U.S. industry; the other is supported by the government of India and focuses on sectors of interest to Indian industry. Together, these projects aim to improve market access for U.S. and Indian companies by increasing transparency and sharing information on the standards regulatory requirements in each market. By facilitating cooperation and collaboration between industry in the U.S. and India, the SCCP provides a mechanism to address potential trade barriers before they arise.

One of the key SCCP tools now available on StandardsPortal is the Standards and Conformance Issue Matrix. This document tracks issues that could potentially impact trade and documents the steps being taken to address and resolve them. The matrix is intended to monitor progress towards the ultimate goal of enhanced Indo-U.S. trade facilitation.

Attendees of the StandardsPortal launch event also learned that India has nominated Mr. Bhave as the next president of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). If elected, Mr. Bhave would be the first Indian president of ISO, serving a two-year term beginning in 2011.

"Collaboration in the areas of standards and conformity assessment not only helps to reduce barriers to bilateral trade and investment, but also facilitates transfer of technologies between the U.S. and India - an arrangement that benefits all of us," concluded Mr. Bhatia. "As we continue to share information and build relationships, our partnership will only grow stronger."

To view the new India-related StandardsPortal, visit StandardsPortal.org/usa_in.

Indian stakeholders may view targeted content at www.StandardsPortal.org.in.

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