Senior US government officials will regularly travel to India as part of efforts to take the bilateral partnership to the next level of cooperation, US ambassador Sergio Gor said on Tuesday against the backdrop of continuing strains between the two countries on trade-related issues.
Gor made the remarks at the conclusion of what was described by the US embassy as a “productive visit” by Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who met external affairs minister S Jaishankar, commerce minister Piyush Goyal and members of Parliament during January 17-19.
At his meetings with Indian officials and MPs, Daines discussed growing US-India defence cooperation, mutual efforts to secure supply chains and the “importance of the US-India strategic partnership to ensuring our shared security and preserving a stable and open Indo-Pacific region”, the US embassy said in a statement.
“As we work to take the partnership between our two nations to the next level in cooperation, I will ensure that senior government officials will regularly travel to India,” Gor said. He said Daines’ meetings with official and private sector stakeholders in New Delhi were “instrumental in advancing our bilateral relationship”.
Daines also “pursued interests of the Trump Administration” and the people of Montana, which he represents in the Senate. Daines said he had urged for “favourable pulse crop provisions in any future trade agreements” between India and the US. Montana is the top producer of pulse crops in the US, and India is the world’s top consumer in the world.
{{/usCountry}}Daines also “pursued interests of the Trump Administration” and the people of Montana, which he represents in the Senate. Daines said he had urged for “favourable pulse crop provisions in any future trade agreements” between India and the US. Montana is the top producer of pulse crops in the US, and India is the world’s top consumer in the world.
{{/usCountry}}Daines said, “I appreciated minister Goyal for listening to our farmers’ concerns and will continue to work with President Trump to press this important priority.” He also sought the “acceleration of the active and ongoing talks towards concluding a fair and reciprocal bilateral trade deal”.
The visit was watched closely in diplomatic circles as the Indian side had, some years ago, stopped arranging meetings between individual US lawmakers and Central ministers. The visit came within the first week of Gor assuming office. The new US envoy, a close aide of President Donald Trump, has emphasised India’s importance as a partner for the US and attempted to return the focus on negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement.
Trump hit Indian exports with 50% tariffs last year, including a 25% punitive levy over Russian oil purchases, sending bilateral ties plummeting to their lowest point in more than two decades.