Mike Pompeo visit focuses on shaky plight of US-India ties

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s current visit to Delhi, the first face-to-face interaction since the Modi government returned to power, gives a chance for India to sort out difficulties that have cropped up in the relationship but, realistically speaking, is unlikely to lead to any solutions.

Pompeo met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Wednesday. His meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar resulted in both stating their positions quite clearly.

Jaishankar told reporters, “We will do what is in our national interest.” Pompeo said whatever differences existed had to be seen in the context of the friendship between the two countries. The US will ensure that India has the military capabilities to defend its territory, he said.

Pompeo’s visit to India is a prelude to a meeting later this week between Modi and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the two day G20 meet in Osaka, Japan, starting June 28.

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The visit of the US secretary of state comes at a time when certain issues have cropped up that threaten the closeness in the relationship between the two countries. On top of the list is the US sanctions on Iran and the pressure on India to stop importing oil from that country, which New Delhi has reluctantly complied with.

India is also unable to figure out where exactly it stands vis-a-vis the US: whether it is a friend or is it just a relationship of convenience?

For example, the US played a major role in getting the Kashmir separatist group Jaish-e-Muhammad’s chief Masood Azhar named as a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council. It has also applied pressure on Pakistan to play ball with India on Kashmir. This was seen following the Balakot air strike and the capture of Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan by Pakistan, when prime minister Imran Khan ensured his release in a matter of days as a gesture of peace.

At the same time, the Trump administration punished India for its high tariffs on US goods by removing it from from the GSP (Generalised System of Preferences) category which had made it possible for India to export at least 2000 of its commodities worth $5.7 billion (in 2017) without paying duties.

Last week, the US released the State Department’s 2019 Report on International Freedom which embarrassed the Modi government by concluding that, under its watch, minorities were being ill-treated in the country. No doubt the government rejected the report but the fact that it publicised its findings at the expense of a friendly government can be seen as a potential setback for India’s claim to be a fair democracy.

For India, the relationship with the US has forced it into difficult choices in the international arena. Its stoppage of oil from Iran has possibly hurt its long-standing relationship with Iran. The Trump administration is asking New Delhi to desist from allowing the Chinese technology company Huawei from bringing in their 5G services to India. Though India is yet to make a decision on this, these type of pressures undermine the equality in relationship between New Delhi and Washington.

Similarly, India’s $5 billion deal with Russia on the purchase of the S400 Triumf missile system is angering the US to such an extent that the Trump administration has all but warned the Modi government from going through with it. If it does go ahead, Trump has promised to take punitive measures like diluting the US’s military ties with India.

Going with the US will end up antagonising Russia. Already relationship between India and Russia is on thin ice and any cancellation of the deal may end up with repercussions which will not be in Indian interests.

Pakistan is an immediate beneficiary of the downsizing of ties between Russia and India. In response to being cold-shouldered by India, Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly considering selling Pantsir surface-to-air missile system and T-90 tanks to Pakistan. If that happens, it can significantly change political and military equations in the subcontinent.

In fact, Pompeo’s visit may well be with a view to furthering the US agenda in its relationship with India. The Trump administration is keen that India lowers its tariffs on various US products. One may recall the telephone conversation that Trump had with Modi asking that India should lower its import duties on the Harley-Davidson motor bikes.

Reports quoting Pompeo said, “The US wants greater market access. We’ve got to get the economic piece right”.

Airing the Indian view, Jaishankar responded saying he has “pushed for a constructive and pragmatic view”, and the “real test of our intentions will be our ability to deal with this”.

The next few weeks will indicate what is that constructive and pragmatic view that India will take and whether it has the ability to withstand the US pressure to lower tariffs and work with Washington on international issues.