US Trade Mission Visits India

    A trade mission from the United States is in India to explore the potential of a market where a buoyant（轻快的） economy and a growing middle class have American companies looking to take advantage of a huge business opportunity.

    Representatives from 15 U.S. companies visited the financial hub, Mumbai and the southern IT hub, Hyderabad before coming to New Delhi to scout¹ for franchise² partners for their businesses.

    They include popular food chains like Denny’s, Wendy’s, Pollo Tropical and Johnny Rockets as well as electronics retailer⁴ RadioShack and Wonderworks amusement parks.

    The companies are here as part of the first-ever franchising⁵ trade mission from the U.S. to India.

    The U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Services, Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale, who is leading the mission, says India is ready for a boom in franchising . The franchise market in India is estimated at $3.3 billion and growing at about 30 percent annually⁶.

    Lamb-Hale says besides providing new opportunities for American businesses, the entry of new U.S. companies will also benefit local businessmen.

    "The thing that is really nice about it is that it is great for Indian entrepreneurs, because they have a proven business concept, they can benefit from technology transfer and best practices, and have their own businesses and adapt it to the Indian market, so it is really a nice win-win situation to create jobs here and create jobs in the U.S.," she said.

    The growing economy has given India's middle class more disposable income to spend on services, entertainment and food. To tap the potential of this growing market in a country of 1.2 billion people, some companies, like Denny’s Corporation, plan to begin operations as early as next year.

    Lamb-Hale is also talking to Indian officials about easing foreign investment restrictions⁷.  At the moment India caps foreign investment in single brand retail³ at 51 percent, and bars foreign ownership in multi-brand retail. Washington has also been urging New Delhi to relax investment restrictions in the insurance sector⁸.

    Lamb-Hale says such restrictions can be restrictive for some businesses, but is optimistic about some changes.

    "Each company is going to have its own perspective, but certainly investment caps like that may make the market for some businesses less attractive, and I think the government of India has expressed a willingness to listen to that and I think in some areas some easing may come about," she said.

    American officials say relaxing foreign investment restrictions will give fresh momentum⁹ to bilateral¹⁰ trade, which is about $48 billion. The trade mission in India is part of a U.S. government initiative to double exports in five years and create jobs in the U.S.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 scout   

n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索

参考例句：

• He was mistaken for an enemy scout and badly wounded.他被误认为是敌人的侦察兵，受了重伤。
• The scout made a stealthy approach to the enemy position.侦察兵偷偷地靠近敌军阵地。

2 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。

3 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

4 retailer   

n.零售商(人)

参考例句：

• What are the retailer requirements?零售商会有哪些要求呢？
• The retailer has assembled a team in Shanghai to examine the question.这家零售商在上海组建了一支团队研究这个问题。

5 franchising   

v.给…以特许权，出售特许权( franchise的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Franchising has costs as well as benefits for the economy. 对整个经济来说特许经销有利也有弊。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• Franchising, a practice adaptable to small business, has increased greatly in recent years. 近年来适用于小企业的特许经销发展得很快。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

6 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

9 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

10 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。