'US experiencing real frustration in trade ties with India'

The US is experiencing real "frustration" when it comes to some of the trade and business economic relationship with India, a top Obama administration official told American Senators Tuesday.

"We have a huge and vibrant trading relationship with India. It has the potential to really create new opportunities for us. But there are some very real frustrations that you've pointed to," Demetrios Marantis, the acting US Trade Representative, told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing.

"On poultry, for example, we have brought a WTO dispute against India, challenging their poultry ban... We have deep concerns over a deterioration in the innovation climate in India... As well as market access policies that are affecting electronics," Marantis said in response to a question from Senator Thomas Carper, at a hearing organised by the Senate Finance Committee on the President's 2013 Trade Agenda.

"I was in India in December and raised these issues very clearly with our counterparts, and we hope to work very closely with them to grow and develop the relationship and address the irritants that are unfortunately rising," the US official said.