June 26, 2006, New Delhi, Press Release
The Training Workshop is being organised jointly with Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and Institute for Trade and Commercial Diplomacy, USA and supported by Department of Commerce, Government of India. The Seminar is targeted at officials in government departments dealing with international trade directly or indirectly, officials in foreign missions, corporate strategists and negotiators.
The key resource person, Mr Geza Feketekuty is a former US Trade negotiator and has served with the office of the US Trade Representative for 21 years in various senior trade policy leadership positions. He has played a central role in the conceptualization and development of US trade policy and global trade negotiations.
According to Pradeep Mehta, Director General, CIRC, training in commercial diplomacy is virtually absent in the country. In the past commercial diplomacy concerned itself largely with negotiations over tariffs and quotas on imports. However, in today’s more interdependent world, trade negotiations cover a much wider range affecting international commerce. Commercial diplomacy encompasses the whole analysis, advocacy and negotiating chain that leads to international agreements on trade-related issues.
The first step in commercial diplomacy therefore is to undertake an in depth analysis of all the factors that can have a bearing on decision-making process at home and abroad.
The other resource persons for the training program comprise eminent experts, practitioners and academicians in the field of commercial diplomacy and related matters, both from India and abroad. The 4 day program would aim to bring forward an analytical framework for effective commercial diplomacy through real case studies and simulations on trade negotiations.