NEW YORK : Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s response to the heated debate on the issue of outsourcing of jobs in the U.S. presidential election was measured and factual. For every dollar that is outsourced to countries like India, businesses worth $5 is insourced for American companies, Chidambaram told a news conference. “I think insourcing gains in the U.S. far outweigh the so-called outsourcing losses,” he said.

He attributed the focus on the outsourcing debate to pre-election rhetoric, which he said is usually toned down after the election. Being a politician himself, he said he understood the compulsions of the candidates.

During his one-on-one meeting with corporate executives, outsourcing was not mentioned in any significant manner other than to underscore how it makes American companies competitive.

–– Mayank Chhaya