NEW DELHI: US and India have kicked off unprecedented 2+2 strategicdialogues between the two nations for further enhancing the strategicpartnership.
President Donald Trump’s top two envoys met with their Indian counterpartsin Delhi on Thursday to deepen a fast-growing partnership but also totackle thorny issues ranging from an ongoing trade spat to India’s purchaseof Russian military gear.
Both sides say the unprecedented “2+2” meeting is proof of how far US-Indiaties have come in recent years, though the officials must tackle severalcontentious areas where they don’t see eye to eye.
“We fully support India’s rise as a leading global power,” Secretary ofState Mike Pompeo said at the start of the summit.
The two countries are eager to deepen ties as a way of countering China,whose economic and military might grows stronger by the day.
In an apparent reference to China and its Belt and Road initiative — whichfloods developing countries with cash for infrastructure projects thatsometimes cannot be repaid — Pompeo said the US and India wish to pursue”fundamental rights and liberties and prevent external economic coercion.”
Pompeo was joined by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, and their Indiancounterparts Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman.
Read Top Stories
Swaraj said India attaches the “highest priority” to its strategicpartnership with the US, and sees America as a “partner of choice.”
In 2016, Washington designated India as a “major defence partner”, makingit easier for the two countries to do arms deals.
India however is finalising a deal with Moscow to buy new systems includingits S-400 long-range, surface-to-air missiles.
Pompeo and Mattis will likely bring the issue up and ask India to distanceitself from Russia. Under current US rules, third countries could facesanctions if they transact with Russian defence or intelligence sectors.
If the S-400 deal is finalised, India has signalled it will ask Washingtonfor a special waiver from sanctions, though a US official last week saidthere is no guarantee it would do so.
