New Delhi, : Amidst host of issues those have cropped up between India and the United States notwithstanding warmer ties between two sides, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will arrive India on June 24-25 to discuss about Indo-Pacific region and other crucial matters.
State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said in a press briefing in Washington that –
“Secretary Pompeo will travel to the Indo Pacific region on June 24-30 to broaden and deepen our partnership with key countries to advance our shared goal of a free and open Indo Pacific”.
The Secretary’s first stop will be in New Delhi.
Last week US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper was in the capital and is learned to have taken up defence cooperation with Indian side.
“My meetings in New Delhi are an affirmation of investment in India as a Major Defense Partner with the US,” Mr Cooper had tweeted.
The US administration is keen to sell its F-16 Fighter Falcons or F-21 manufactured by Lockheed Martin or the F/A-18 Super Hornet produced by Boeing.
Both Cooper’s visit followed by that of Mike Pompeo are seen as efforts to prepare the ground for the Narendra Modi-Donald Trump meeting in Osaka during the G-20 meet on June 28 and 29 in Japan.
India is procuring 36 Rafale fighter air craft from France Dassault Aviation for its immediate needs but would still require more. The government proposed to get 114 more under the ‘Make in India’ programme – with foreign vendor tie up with an Indian partner.
The American companies are keen to set up manufacturing hubs in India.
However, there are certain major issues between two countries and which are being regarded as irritants too.
President Trump’s administration has put a ban for India and other countries as well for buying energy from Iran and Venezuela.
Moreover, recently President Trump has withdrawn the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) trade status given to India earlier.
There are also issues related to proposed Indian regulations on data localisation and US e-commerce companies operating in the Indian market.
On Monday, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had a telephonic conversation with United States Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and discussed about crude oil price volatility.
“Had a telephonic conversation with United States Secretary of Energy Perry. Thanked him for his good wishes on the resounding mandate for PM Narendra Modi,” Mr Pradhan tweeted.
Both the leaders discussed about crude oil price volatility and its impact on the Indian consumer.
“I also pointed to the important role that the US plays in bringing global price stability,” the Minister pointed out.
They also discussed ways to work together to enhance energy security, further develop gas-based economy in India and expand energy and innovation linkages to bolster the India-US Strategic Energy Partnership that was launched in April 2018.
UNI.
