The President of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), Ambassador (ret.) Atul Keshap welcomed India's Union Budget 2026–27, announced on February 1, 2025. He said the budget reflects the ambition of India to sustain momentum as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies amid geopolitical uncertainties.&nbsp;“USIBC welcomes the Union Budget 2026–27, which underscores the Government of India’s continued focus on economic growth, resilience, and global competitiveness. At a time of continued geopolitical uncertainties, the budget reflects India’s ambition to sustain momentum as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and a critical partner for the United States in the Indo-Pacific," Atul Keshap said.&nbsp;“We welcome the government’s emphasis on sustained growth of around 7%, fiscal prudence, and a strong thrust on public investment. These macro priorities, alongside pillars such as strengthening the foundations of growth and trust-based governance, are central to strengthening India’s long-term growth fundamentals and deepening bilateral commercial ties between the world’s two largest democracies,” he added.&nbsp;USIBC has urged the government to fast-track reforms in areas such as taxation, ease of doing business, trade facilitation, and regulatory certainty to strengthen investor confidence and unlock higher levels of foreign investment.  The council also welcomed the Government of India’s emphasis on frontier technologies through initiatives like India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, highlighting its focus on equipment and materials, end-to-end design, domestic intellectual property, resilient supply chains, and industry-driven research and skill development. Additionally, USIBC praised initiatives including the AI Mission, National Research Mission, Innovation Fund, and the National Quantum Mission, noting that they reflect India’s growing ambitions in advanced and next-generation technologies.&nbsp;"USIBC also commends the government’s policies to provide a stronger boost to its strategic sectors by providing tax holidays until 2047 for foreign cloud service providers having data centres in India and various initiatives in the Tourism Sector, including the establishment of Five Hubs for Medical Value Tourism. USIBC encourages further clarity on implementation and private-sector participation to maximise impact and investor interest."&nbsp;"In Energy and Climate, USIBC notes the Rs 20,000 crore Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) scheme, the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) exemptions for Lithium-Ion Cell manufacturing and critical mineral processing and the Scheme for Rare Earth Permanent Magnets. We also welcome the extension of BCD exemptions for Nuclear Power Projects until 2035. In Healthcare and Services, we note the efforts to have a more robust care economy with a stronger focus on addressing concerns relating to mental healthcare, Divyangjans and cancer."&nbsp;"The budget’s focus on Manufacturing in Strategic and Frontier Sectors, including Electronics Components and Container Manufacturing, is an important signal of India’s intent to integrate more deeply into global value chains. Initiatives related to dedicated Chemical Parks, Biopharma SHAKTI, and the scheme to revive 200 legacy industrial clusters have the potential to drive competitiveness, provided they are accompanied by policy certainty, streamlined approvals, and openness to global partnerships," he added.&nbsp;Ambassador (ret.) stated that USIBC is committed to working in close ties with the Government of India and stakeholders across the US–India corridor to figure out significant policy priorities and advance the level of reforms that bolster commercial ties, enhance competitiveness, and lead to the shared economic prosperity.<h3>What is the US-India Business Council?</h3>The US-India Business Council (USIBC) was established in 1975 at the behest of the US and Indian Governments. It has remained a trusted platform for strengthening the US-India strategic and commercial partnership for more than 50 years. USIBC represents over 200 leading Indian and American companies committed to advancing the U.S.-India commercial and strategic partnership.As the premier voice of industry in the U.S.–India commercial partnership, USIBC works closely with governments and stakeholders to advance policy priorities, strengthen bilateral trade and investment, and support sustainable economic growth. &nbsp;&nbsp;

USIBC has urged the government to fast-track reforms in areas such as taxation, ease of doing business, trade facilitation, and regulatory certainty to strengthen investor confidence and unlock higher levels of foreign investment. 

The President of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), Ambassador (ret.) Atul Keshap welcomed India's Union Budget 2026–27, announced on February 1, 2025. He said the budget reflects the ambition of India to sustain momentum as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies amid geopolitical uncertainties. “USIBC welcomes the Union Budget 2026–27, which underscores the Government of India’s continued focus on economic growth, resilience, and global competitiveness. At a time of continued geopolitical uncertainties, the budget reflects India’s ambition to sustain momentum as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and a critical partner for the United States in the Indo-Pacific," Atul Keshap said. “We welcome the government’s emphasis on sustained growth of around 7%, fiscal prudence, and a strong thrust on public investment. These macro priorities, alongside pillars such as strengthening the foundations of growth and trust-based governance, are central to strengthening India’s long-term growth fundamentals and deepening bilateral commercial ties between the world’s two largest democracies,” he added. USIBC has urged the government to fast-track reforms in areas such as taxation, ease of doing business, trade facilitation, and regulatory certainty to strengthen investor confidence and unlock higher levels of foreign investment.  The council also welcomed the Government of India’s emphasis on frontier technologies through initiatives like India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, highlighting its focus on equipment and materials, end-to-end design, domestic intellectual property, resilient supply chains, and industry-driven research and skill development. Additionally, USIBC praised initiatives including the AI Mission, National Research Mission, Innovation Fund, and the National Quantum Mission, noting that they reflect India’s growing ambitions in advanced and next-generation technologies. "USIBC also commends the government’s policies to provide a stronger boost to its strategic sectors by providing tax holidays until 2047 for foreign cloud service providers having data centres in India and various initiatives in the Tourism Sector, including the establishment of Five Hubs for Medical Value Tourism. USIBC encourages further clarity on implementation and private-sector participation to maximise impact and investor interest." "In Energy and Climate, USIBC notes the Rs 20,000 crore Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) scheme, the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) exemptions for Lithium-Ion Cell manufacturing and critical mineral processing and the Scheme for Rare Earth Permanent Magnets. We also welcome the extension of BCD exemptions for Nuclear Power Projects until 2035. In Healthcare and Services, we note the efforts to have a more robust care economy with a stronger focus on addressing concerns relating to mental healthcare, Divyangjans and cancer." "The budget’s focus on Manufacturing in Strategic and Frontier Sectors, including Electronics Components and Container Manufacturing, is an important signal of India’s intent to integrate more deeply into global value chains. Initiatives related to dedicated Chemical Parks, Biopharma SHAKTI, and the scheme to revive 200 legacy industrial clusters have the potential to drive competitiveness, provided they are accompanied by policy certainty, streamlined approvals, and openness to global partnerships," he added. Ambassador (ret.) stated that USIBC is committed to working in close ties with the Government of India and stakeholders across the US–India corridor to figure out significant policy priorities and advance the level of reforms that bolster commercial ties, enhance competitiveness, and lead to the shared economic prosperity. What is the US-India Business Council? The US-India Business Council (USIBC) was established in 1975 at the behest of the US and Indian Governments. It has remained a trusted platform for strengthening the US-India strategic and commercial partnership for more than 50 years. USIBC represents over 200 leading Indian and American companies committed to advancing the U.S.-India commercial and strategic partnership. As the premier voice of industry in the U.S.–India commercial partnership, USIBC works closely with governments and stakeholders to advance policy priorities, strengthen bilateral trade and investment, and support sustainable economic growth.

USIBC has urged the government to fast-track reforms in areas such as taxation, ease of doing business, trade facilitation, and regulatory certainty to strengthen investor confidence and unlock higher levels of foreign investment.

USIBC applauds India's Union Budget 2026–27, calls for faster reforms to drive innovation & investment

As the INDUS-X Summit, a joint effort between India and the United States in defense innovation kickstarts in New Delhi, WION's Siddhant Sibbal talks to USIBC President Atul Keshap. Watch in.

India and US to accelerate defence partnerships, says USIBC President Atul Keshap

The INDUS X Conference aims to serve as a platform uniting officials and startups to foster collaboration within the U.S.-India defense corridor. Last year's inaugural conference, held at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C., marked a pivotal moment in bilateral relations, occurring just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the United States. The event showcased the participation of 26 startups, highlighting the growing interest and commitment from both nations in nurturing innovative defense solutions.

US-India relations: Atul Keshap talks about how India-US' bilateral relationship is at all-time high

U.S.-India Business Council or USIBC, Atul Keshap has said that Democracies like India and US need to "stick together" amid the "tough geopolitical time" as both believe in "politics of prosperity". Speaking to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, the former top American diplomat in Delhi said, "I want democracies to work together. It's is good for freedom loving people." This is his first visit to India as President of USIBC to Delhi during which he met with top minister including external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar. He formerly served as U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the United States Department of State.

Democracies need to stick together in tough geopolitical times, USIBC chief Atul Keshap

The United States expressed interest in partnering with the Sri Lankan military to assist the government in drafting the new constitution, reported The Island. It further added that the US wants to fulfill its commitments to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) with regard to accountability issues. 
 
A resolution endorsed by the UNHRC has called for the establishment of an independent domestic mechanism to probe allegations of war crimes against the previous Rajapaksa government &nbsp;and &nbsp;LTTE, the report said.&nbsp; 
 
According to The Island, Atul Keshap, the US ambassador said they were welcoming new staff into the American embassy in Sri Lanka &nbsp;to work on development programs, human rights cooperation, rule of law, and justice. 
 
&quot;We are working to strengthen our relationship with all of the different facets of the Sri Lankan government, including the armed forces, because we believe that a professional military is essential to the development and &nbsp;success of any viable democracy&quot;, the ambassador was quoted as saying.&nbsp; 
 
Keshap further added that the US would work with the Sri Lankan government, military and bureaucracy in achieving the goals that they had set for themselves by electing a new president on January 8 last year.&nbsp; 
 
(WION)

'US would work with Sri Lankan government, military and bureaucracy in achieving the goals that they had set for themselves'

The United States expressed interest in partnering with the Sri Lankan military to assist the government in drafting the new constitution, reported The Island. It further added that the US wants to fulfill its commitments to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) with regard to accountability issues. A resolution endorsed by the UNHRC has called for the establishment of an independent domestic mechanism to probe allegations of war crimes against the previous Rajapaksa government and LTTE, the report said. According to The Island, Atul Keshap, the US ambassador said they were welcoming new staff into the American embassy in Sri Lanka to work on development programs, human rights cooperation, rule of law, and justice. "We are working to strengthen our relationship with all of the different facets of the Sri Lankan government, including the armed forces, because we believe that a professional military is essential to the development and success of any viable democracy", the ambassador was quoted as saying. Keshap further added that the US would work with the Sri Lankan government, military and bureaucracy in achieving the goals that they had set for themselves by electing a new president on January 8 last year. (WION)

US wants to partner with Sri Lankan military in drafting new constitution, reports local media

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USIBC applauds India's Union Budget 2026–27, calls for faster reforms to drive innovation & investment

India and US to accelerate defence partnerships, says USIBC President Atul Keshap

US-India relations: Atul Keshap talks about how India-US' bilateral relationship is at all-time high

Democracies need to stick together in tough geopolitical times, USIBC chief Atul Keshap

US wants to partner with Sri Lankan military in drafting new constitution, reports local media