Jaishankar Urges Constructive, Pragmatic View On Trade In Meeting With Mike Pompeo

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and his Indian counterpart stressed the strength of their two countries’ ties after a morning of meetings but reported little progress in resolving disputes over trade, defense and energy that have weighed on the partnership.

“Harmonizing our interests and our views, that’s really the task of diplomacy and I think secretary Pompeo would agree with me today that we have earned our pay,” External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said at a briefing alongside the top U.S. diplomat in New Delhi Wednesday. He said a key part of having a strategic relationship “is to comprehend the other nation’s interest.”

• India is an important partner for the U.S.; there are issues at the moment and we will find a way to work through them.
• U.S. endeavours that each country can provide security for itself.

When asked if the two ministers discussed the U.S. government’s decision to withdraw trade benefits to India under the Generalised System of Preferences, Pomeo said that the issue did not come up.

However, “we are going to do our best to make sure all the right people get into the right places and work through these problems and get on with the business of growing each of our two economies,” he said.

There is a deep appreciation for Indian in the United States, said U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo in today’s joint press conference. There is a large Indian community in the U.S. and a sizable American community in India as well, he said, adding that the U.S. understands India’s concerns and interests.

• We discussed the situation in the gulf.
• Conveyed our concerns which included energy, trade and diaspora.
• We had a very frank and open discussion on U.S.-Iran tensions.
• Specifically Chabahar port did not come up.
• Both of us are leaving this meeting knowing that we need to tell our government to try harder.

• U.S. India partnership is beginning to reach new heights.
• U.S. is committed to ensuring India has the military capability to confront 21st century challenges.
• India's experience with terrorism is very real.
• Our teams will continue to work together on information sharing.
• We will keep working to resolve any economic disputes.

• Our discussions covered trade issues, energy issues, defence issues, investment concerns and people to people contact.
• What we see from the U.S. is a zero tolerance policy on terrorism.
• We had discussion on our defence cooperation.
• U.S. today is our largest trade partner.
• We are both very optimistic about where our economic relationship can go.
• On trade issue, my urging was we take a constructive and pragmatic view

India and the United States have a strategic partnership and that is based on deep and broad convergences which have been growing steadily over the last many years, said Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar.

While there are some issues where the countries have their own perspectives, as countries and foreign affairs ministers, harmonising our interests and views is key, he said. “State Secretary Mike Pompeo would agree that we are on our way.”

India, which is heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil, is looking on with increasing apprehension as the U.S. and Iran flirt with war.

The country imported 84 percent of its crude in the last financial year, government data shows, and two of every three of those barrels was sourced from the conflict-prone region. A major war in the Middle East threatens to push up consumer prices, widen the nation’s external deficits, and potentially derail Modi’s bid to revive flagging economic growth. (Read More)

Here’s your reading list on the U.S.-Iran tensions:

• Iran Says Diplomatic Path Closed After U.S. Sanctions Khamenei
• Trump Says U.S. Will Use ‘Overwhelming Force’ If Iran Attacks
• U.S. ‘Maximum Pressure’ Worked on Iran Before. It May Not Again
• Iran Says Downed U.S. Drone Found 4 Miles Inside Iran Territory

Earlier this month, news reports emerged that the U.S. had told India it was considering a 10-15 percent limit on H-1B visas for countries that had a data localisation policy.

While the Indian ministry of external affairs denied receiving any such communication, the U.S. State Department also clarified that the United States has no plans to impose H-1B visa caps for countries that force foreign companies to store data locally.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows U.S. companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

Two years ago, U.S. President Trump signed the 'Buy American and Hire American' executive order, which seeks to create higher wages and employment rates for American workers and protect their economic interests by rigorously enforcing and administering U.S. immigration laws.

It directed the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with other agencies, to advance policies to help ensure the H-1B visas are awarded to the most skilled or highest paid beneficiaries.

Mike Pompeo met Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier today and discussed various aspects of the bilateral relationship to strengthen the India-U.S. strategic partnership.

“Working together to further deepen our strategic partnership. Secretary Pompeo called on PM Narendra Modi to exchange views on various aspects of Indo-U.S. relationship. PM will meet President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 Osaka Summit,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted along with pictures of the meeting.

Ahead of the strategically-important India-U.S. talks, diplomatic sources on Tuesday said India meets the U.S. waiver criteria for procuring the S-400 missile defence system from sanctions-hit Russia, and asserted that New Delhi cannot "wish away" its defence ties with Moscow.