Well, you can say it’s almost an about-turn! The US President Barack Obama has come up with a view which now urges US business groups to target burgeoning middle-class population of India and China to seek demand for their products and accessories.
In order to not sound too apprehensive over here, I would take pleasure to say – you’re welcome to our shores, Mr. Obama! But, for once, I would also like to pose a query: doesn’t your thought sound dichromatic in nature?
No please, let me refrain from number crunching over here! We’re not here to debate whether or not Indians have replaced American job opportunities. We all know how the President has been more than vocal about Indians taking away American jobs.
Moreover, he has left no stone unfurled in a bid to curtail the practice of outsourcing jobs to India. So much so that the country which preached the world about the benefits of free-trade, took a cover under the protectionist measures such as creating tougher tax codes to discourage more value-added savings from outsourcing job contracts.
The President Barack Obama presides to its business community saying:
The truth is, as countries like China and India grow and develop larger middle classes, it’s profitable for global companies to aggressively pursue these markets and, at times, to set up facilities in these countries
Further, he admits that the country has signed export deals with two of the most powerful emerging market economies that will tend to support over 2.5 lakh jobs in the US. But, at the same time, as if he is warning the outer world – not to rule out the creative spirit and entrepreneurial ability of the United States to overcome the on-going economic crisis.
He also insisted for greater investment in education and technology in a bid to provide impetus to innovation-led business models seeking new opportunities and opening new markets for goods.
In a nutshell, what irks me is the dichromatic thought process emanated by Obama – at first, against anti-India outsourcing view; and now, directing US entrepreneurs to target the very same India and China to tap the growing demand from their middle-class population.
A simple point narrated over here being – not to challenge the ethics or the message given out by Obama; he is perfectly fine in what he said. I just seek to pin-point that if you’re openly advocating business opportunities from overseas, please feel equally free to tone-down your anti-outsourcing slogans as well.
Am I asking for a bit too much – what’s your say?