NEW DELHI – In what can be termed as a sign of growing chasm between Indiaand the US, Washington postponed the maiden ‘2+2 Dialogue’ with New Delhion Wednesday.

The crucial meeting, which was scheduled to take place on July 6 was to beattended by External Affairs Minister Suhsma Swaraj and Defence MinisterNirmala Sitharaman.

In a series of tweets, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that, ‘USSecretary Mike Pompeo spoke to EAM Sushma Swaraj a short while ago toexpress his regret and deep disappointment at the US having to postpone the2+2 Dialogue for unavoidable reasons.’

‘Pompeo sought Swaraj understanding, and they agreed to identify newmutually convenient dates to hold the Dialogue at the earliest, in India orthe US,’ he added.

This comes at a time when both Washington and new Delhi are embroiled inintense tariff war. On Tuesday, US Presicdent Donald Trump had accused NewDelhi of charging as high as 100 per cent tariff on import of Americanproducts.

“We have countries where, as an example, India, they charge up as much as100 per cent tariff. We want the tariffs removed,” Trump said.

He was responding to a question in his recent decisions to impose tariffson import of foreign products. Trump has defended it by arguing that thisis in retaliation to the imbalance of trade that the US has with majortrading partners including China, the European Union and India.

The new dialogue format was agreed to between the two sides during thevisit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington DC on 25-26 June 2017.The two sides were expected to share perspectives on strengthening theirstrategic and security ties and exchange views on a range of bilateral,regional and global issues of mutual interest.