Our Correspondent / NEW DELHI
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today made it clear to the visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that India would go by its national interest while dealing with other countries, including sanctions-hit Russia.
The two leaders had an extensive bilateral meeting this afternoon in New Delhi.
Replying to a media query on the issue of sanctions under the US’ Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act which may also impact India’s procurement of the S400 system from Moscow, Dr Jaishankar said India has relationships with several countries.
In a joint press interaction, Mr Pompeo said India was an important partner of the US and that the bilateral ties are reaching new heights.
Saying India-US have a strategic partnership based on deep and broad convergence, Dr Jaishankar said, discussions with Pompeo were held on key issues including energy and trade as well as on the situation in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific region. He expressed appreciation for the strong support of Trump administration on the issue of terrorism.
Dr Jaishankar said, US Secretary of State shared with him the American concerns on Iran. Dr Jaishankar said, he and Mr Pompeo came out much better informed of each other’s concerns in that regard.
Dr Jaishankar made the point that Indo-Pacific is for peace, security, stability, and prosperity and not against anybody. He said, they are looking at a landscape where a number of independent players work together for what they believe to be global good.
On Iran, Dr. Jaishankar said, India has a certain perspective on it and obviously from where we are based. Mr Pompeo said, US-India partnership is already beginning to reach new heights, and the two sides have bolstered the defence cooperation and have solidified the common vision for free and open Indo-Pacific. He said India and the US have grown cooperation in energy, space and other areas.
“India and the United States have a strategic partnership and that is actually based on deep and broad convergences which have been steadily growing over the last many years. Obviously, there will be some issues on which we have our individual perspectives but I think for us today both as countries and as Foreign Ministers harmonising our interest and our views, that is really the task of diplomacy and I think Secretary Pompeo would agree with me today that we have earned our pay.”
The US Secretary of State’s meetings with the Indian leadership are the first high-level interactions between the two countries after the return of the Modi government to power last month.
Pompeo’s visit comes ahead of a meeting between Modi and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, later this week.
Earlier today, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence in New Delhi.
In a tweet, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, Secretary Pompeo exchanged views on various aspects of Indo-US relationship with the Prime Minister.
Two sides are working together to further strengthen the strategic partnership. Mr Kumar said, Prime Minister Modi will meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the upcoming G-20 Osaka Summit to be held in Japan.