US secretary Pompeo meets Modi, discusses key strategic issues
US secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (June 26) and discussed various aspects of the bilateral relationship to strengthen the India-US strategic partnership.
Pompeo is currently engaged in talks on numerous issues with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar over lunch.
Pompeo arrived at New Delhi last night. “Working together to further deepen our strategic partnership. Secretary Pompeo called on PM Narendra Modi to exchange views on various aspects of Indo-US 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.
Working together to further deepen our strategic partnership@SecPompeo called on PM @narendramodi to exchange views on various aspects of Indo-US relationship. PM will meet President @realDonaldTrump on the sidelines of the upcoming #G20OsakaSummit pic.twitter.com/Jjjp9gTKbd
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) June 26, 2019
Ahead of the strategically-important India-US talks, diplomatic sources on Tuesday (June 25) said that India will meet the US 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.
Besides India’s missile defence system deal with Russia, terrorism, H-1B visas, trade, and the situation arising out of US sanctions on buying oil from Iran, are likely to be discussed on Wednesday during the talks between Jaishankar and Pompeo.
Pompeo’s talks here will be the first high-level interaction between the two countries after return of the Modi government to power last month. Pompeo’s visit comes ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Modi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan later this week.