Obama plays anti-sourcing card after getting Dem Prez nomn

Washington/New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) Making a strong anti-outsourcing pitch after getting the Democratic Presidential nomination, Barack Obama vowed to end tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas if he is elected to office.

Playing to the gallery on the hot button issue of outsourcing in his acceptance speech, Obama kept up with the
rhetoric on the subject that has been a staple of Democratic
campaigning and went on to spell out what he would do as
President on the front.

"....unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to
companies that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving
them to companies that create good jobs right here in
America," said Obama, who has been fiercely opposing
outsourcing. The remarks drew a loud applause at the Denver
Democratic National Convention.

Often played the anti-outsourcing card since he entered
the Presidential race, Obama has said that while the U.S.
cannot "shy away" from globalisation it would have to take
measures to ensure that jobs are not shipped overseas.

Facing the heat from U.S. presidential hopefuls who
blamed "shipping jobs" to China and India for rising U.S.
unemployment, the India Inc had launched a counter-offensive
telling Americans that the industry is in fact creating new
work opportunities for them.

Reacting to the fresh offensive from Obama, NASSCOM
Chairman Som Mittal feels American companies will themselves
favour outsourcing.

"The U.S. companies themselves will have to find the
right balance of who they want to service themselves and....
M.N.Cs who have set up their own houses in India have
increased competitiveness in furthering their own company
objectives," Mittal said.

Infosys' H.R. Director T.V. Mohandas Pai said the U.S.
industry has accepted India's outsourcing story but preferred
to wait for what the U.S. policy would be after the Bush
Administration demits office. PTI