Retail FDI will create millions of jobs: Timothy Roemer

Opening up the retail sector to foreign investment will help create millions of jobs in India and also strengthen its trade ties with America, former American Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer has said.

However, the US understands the compulsions associated with policy decisions in a democracy, Roemer told PTI here on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting.

Tim Roemer, who resigned as US Ambassador to India last year, is now an International Advisory Council Member of leading American public affairs company APCO Worldwide.
The five-day meeting, which ended yesterday, saw a number of global economic leaders urge India to go ahead with economic reforms, including FDI in retail.

In the face of stiff political opposition, India had to put the decision for allowing foreign direct investment in the multi-brand retail business on hold.

Asked about the US reaction to the issue, Roemer said the US President (Barack Obama) is a real believer in the democratic process and knows that everyone cannot agree on every single issue, especially strategic issues.

"It's a great time for the US-India partnership. We want to see continuing progress on economic issues. India moved ahead with the FDI in single-brand and multi-brand retail and the process has been complete on half of this," Roemer said.

"This is good for India, millions of jobs would be created for Indians, cold chain would be improved, maybe food prices would come down and there would be more opportunities for SMEs too," he added.

"We think it is good thing for India and good thing for the trade between the two countries," he said, while noting that both countries have a vibrant democratic system that allows the people to vote for making their country economically more successful.