A US Federal agency has launched an investigation into Indian trade policies which allegedly discriminate against the American trade and investment.

The investigation, "Trade, Investment and Industrial Policies in India: Effects on the US Economy", was requested jointly by the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Ways and Means.

USITC will report on recent policies and measures in India that affect US exports and investment and evaluate the effects of such barriers on US firms and the economy, the federal agency has said in a statement on Thursday.

In its examination, the USITC will enumerate restrictive trade and investment policies that India maintains or has recently adopted, determine which sectors of the US economy are most affected by these policies, and describe the competitiveness of Indian firms in these sectors.

The USITC will provide several case studies of US firms or industries that have been particularly affected by India's restrictions.

As requested, by the Congress, the USITC will also perform a quantitative analysis of the effects of such measures.

The USITC will survey a sample of US firms to measure perceptions of India's policies and the impact of those policies on firms' strategies toward India.

The survey results will complement the quantitative analysis of the effects of these policies on trade, investment, and the US economy.

The USITC will deliver the report to the Committees by November 30, 2014, the statement said, adding that it will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation on February 13, 2014. (PTI)