NEW DELHI: Amid tightening visa rules across the globe, the government has told countries in the Asia-Pacific Apac ) region that Indian companies have created at least 1.71 lakh local jobs in nine countries with very few Indians requiring work permits. The issue was flagged recently with countries negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, including China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Asean nations, sources told TOI.While negotiators from these countries are seeking steep reduction in import duties in India, they are unwilling to allow Indian professionals , such as software engineers and architects, on work visas or even commit to easier investment rules for Indian companies. The Indian government is seeking to impress upon these countries, by making a point that not only do Indian professionals contribute to their economies but companies such as Infosys, Wipro, TCS and HCL also create thousands of jobs.In recent years, visa restrictions have gone up and the government is accusing the Singapore government of going back on its commitment to allow Indian professionals, despite committing to it in the bilateral trade and investment treaty. Recently, Australia tightened its visa rules in a bid to check foreigners on work visas, prompting PM Narendra Modi to raise the issue with his counterpart Malcolm Turnbull.Sources said during a recent interaction that the government had with representatives of companies operating in the Philippines, it came out that Indian IT firms had created close to 60,000 local jobs but needed only 1,500-2,000 work permits.The companies also said despite Philippine Economic Zone Authority allowing 5% foreign nationals to work if exports accounted for 70% of the business of a company, visas were tough to come by for Indians. As a result, companies were forced to wait for 15 days to get business visas, often delaying work.India is demanding opening up of computer services during the negotiations so that it is not just easier but there is also a stable regime for Indian professionals. Similarly, the government has demanded easier rules in the audio-visual space, which will help Indian film producers, but the RCEP negotiators are reluctant to agree to it. Further, the proposal to have a travel card for Indian business travellers, allowing for seamless movement, is being blocked although the facility is available to Apec members.