A delegation of Indian businessmen has gone to the United States, in an attempt to calm fears about the dangers of investing there.

The conflict in Kashmir has prompted some employees of foreign companies to leave and raised concerns in India that foreign direct investment will drop - at a time when the privatisation programme is accelerating.

The delegation will meet with Senate and Congress members as well as business associations and companies. A similar delegation will be visit Europe soon.

"It is business as usual and a number of steps have been taken to de-escalate the tension between the two countries," Dilip Chenoy, deputy Director General of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) told the BBC's World Business Report.

"The entire privatisation process is gathering momentum, there are a number of new areas in the privatisation process such as the oil companies, hotels and other industry sectors which will be of tremendous value and interest to them," Mr Chenoy added.

Last year there was a record level of foreign investment in India amounting to $3.9bn, (�2.6bn).