Will look for common ground on trade: Govt : The Tribune India

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Tribune News Service & PTI

Gandhinagar/New Delhi, June 25

India will try to find common ground on trade issues during discussions with visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said today.

Terrorism, Afghanistan, the Indo-Pacific, Iran, trade issues and growing bilateral defence ties would be the focus of discussions between the Indian government and Pompeo tomorrow.

“We will definitely discuss issues related to trade between the two countries. Both countries are having their own interests. And it is natural to have some conflicts because of that. We will find a common ground using diplomacy. We will hold discussions with the US with a positive approach,” Jaishankar told reporters after filing his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha poll from Gujarat.

Diplomatic sources in Delhi said India would stand its ground on all contentious issues with the US while trying to advance the bilateral relationship during the next five years of the Modi government.

The US has been frequently spelling out its expectations from India, but New Delhi, for the first time, broadcast its views on a clutch of issues from security to economic that are clouding bilateral ties.

India is neither expecting a resolution of all issues during Pompeo’s talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar followed by a call on PM Modi, nor is it anxious for a set of deliverables at the end of the two interactions, sources said.

Pompeo’s visit will set the stage for the first interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in Osaka, Japan, a few days from now on the margins of the G-20 summit.

On security issues, particularly as regards purchasing S-400 missile defence system from Russia, maintaining energy ties with Iran, signing military foundational agreements with the United States and opting for Chinese 5G technology, India will signal its desire to maintain decisional autonomy.

Though the US is concerned over New Delhi’s purchase of the Russian missile defence system, India points out that negotiations began a decade ago when an American law that penalises such trade was nowhere in sight. It is on the basis of this “grandfathering clause” that India is hoping for a presidential waiver to escape being punished by the US law for buying a Russian military system.

Similarly, India has fallen in line with the Washington’s dictat to end all oil trade with Iran, but it is keeping its options open and will take a decision based on commercial considerations and the demands of energy security.

India is unmoved by US arguments against Chinese 5G technology and will take a considered decision based on its security requirements and whether the bump up in the Internet speed is really required at this juncture.

India is also choosing to seal military agreements with the US at its own pace. While the logistics-sharing agreement with the US is operational, chinks are yet to be removed from the CISMOA and the third “foundational agreement” (called BECA) is still in the works.

On data localisation and e-commerce, the US need not press the panic button since policies in both instances are yet to be finalised. The US claim of India erecting high tariff walls is a “misconception” since all countries, including the US, are sensitive about some items.

India’s tariffs are in line with those of developing countries. “These things need to be better understood,” said the sources while indicating the need for a considered dialogue.

Setting stage for Modi-Trump meet

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit will set the stage for the first interaction between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump on G-20 margins in Osaka, Japan
India likely to stand its ground on all contentious issues while trying to advance the bilateral relationship