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'World always changing': Minister on PM Modi's China trip as US tariffs hit 50%
Kirti Vardhan Singh, minister of state for external affairs, says strength of India's economy will carry it through these times
In the first response from a top official in the Narendra Modi government on the day US trade tariffs on India hit 50%, union minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh noted that “the world is always changing” as he told reporters, “The strength of our economy will carry us through these times.”
He was asked about PM Modi's upcoming visit to China for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at the end of August, as India-China relations see a thaw in light of Donald Trump's punitive tariff move.
“You see, the world is always changing — the political climate, the investment climate, the business… it's always changing. And we are well-prepared to meet up with any eventuality. Our economy is growing; it's strong and resilient,” he responded to that, as per an ANI report.
PM Modi is set to make his first visit to the country in more than seven years for the SCO summit in Tianjin. Hosted by President Xi Jinping, the meet is expected to project Global South solidarity, give sanctions-hit Russia another diplomatic platform, and underline Beijing’s growing clout.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has kept the door open for negotiations with US for a trade deal, people familiar with the matter told HT on Wednesday. It hopes the 25% additional tariff is temporary and may be ended bilaterally.
They also called “unacceptable” the US's opting to penalise India when no such action had been taken against larger purchasers of Russian crude, such as China.
“[It] came as a bolt from the blue as it was not part of the terms of reference (TOR) agreed on by the two sides in April for the trade negotiations,” one of the sources said.
