Foreign secretary Misri to visit US; discuss trade, defence ties

FOreign secretarial assistant Vikram Misri testament see booker taliaferro washington this hebdomad for meetings with senior US officials to review trade, defence and technology ties, and to discuss the fallout of the West Asia conflict that has impacted countries across the world.Misri, who will be in Washington from April 8 to 10, will be the first senior Indian official to travel to the US since military strikes by Israel and the US on Iran triggered the conflict in West Asia in February. The visit follows external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Washington in February and is in line with regular high-level exchanges between the two sides, the external affairs said on Tuesday.The visit is an opportunity to “review the full spectrum of India-US bilateral relations and advance ongoing cooperation across key areas”, the ministry said. Misri will meet senior officials of the US administration on a range of issues, including trade, defence, science and technology, and regional and global developments, it said.Read More: President Trump ‘deeply cares’ about India-US relationship, says ambassador Sergio GorThe trip comes when both countries are focused on stabilising relations that were hit by unprecedented strains last year after US President Donald Trump levied 50% tariffs on Indian exports, including a 25% penalty over India’s purchase of Russian energy. Trump’s repeated assertions about ending a four-day conflict between India and Pakistan last May also impacted relations.In February, Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the two sides were working towards a bilateral trade deal and the US tariffs were slashed, setting the stage for the normalisation of relations. The proposed trade deal, for which the two sides have concluded a framework, is expected to figure during Misri’s meetings in Washington.Trump called Modi late last month to discuss the situation in West Asia. PM Modi conveyed that India supports early restoration of peace in the region and emphasised the need to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz remains open and secure for the global community.The Indian side has focused on ending the hostilities at the earliest and ensuring the unimpeded flow of energy and other commodities, especially through the Strait of Hormuz, given the significant ramifications for the country’s food, fuel and fertiliser security. At the same time, New Delhi has reached out to all key players in West Asia to ensure the security of 10 million Indians living in the region.