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Mike Pompeo in India: Pompeo to meet PM Modi, Jaishankar today; all you need to know about the meet

By IndSamachar

Posted on 26/06/2019

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday night on his three-day visit to the country to strengthen strategic ties between the two nations. Pompeo will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar today to discuss agenda for the US-India strategic partnership. He will also deliver a speech on the future of the relationship and opportunities for cooperation on global issues of shared concern.

Here are things we need to know about Mike Pompeo’s India visit

The meeting between Jaishankar and Pompeo is being seen as an opportunity for both the leaders to get to know each other better. The two will set the stage for the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at the sidelines of G20 Summit in Osaka.
Hours after Pompeo landed in New Delhi, the US said his visit to India is aimed at deepening strategic relationship with the largest democratic country of the world. “Prime Minister Modi’s sweeping mandate in the recent elections creates a unique opportunity to realize this vision,” US said.

Pompeo’s visit marks the third visit to India by a Secretary of State during the Trump Administration. After his India visit from June 25-27, Pompeo will travel to Japan to attend the G-20 Summit with Trump.
Terrorism, Afghanistan, the Indo-Pacific, Iran, trade issues, and growing bilateral defence ties will be the focus of discussions between the Indian government and Pompeo.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, who will host a working lunch for Mike Pompeo this afternoon, said India will try to find common ground on trade issues during their discussions.
Mike Pompeo will also interact with Indian and US businesses at a round table meet and deliver a policy speech at the India International Centre in Delhi this evening.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also meet NSA Ajit Doval in South Block today. They will discuss multiple issues including terror and defence before the meeting between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G-20 summit at Osaka on June 28.
Ahead of the strategically-important India-US talks, diplomatic sources on Tuesday said India meets the US waiver criteria for procuring the S-400 missile defence system from sanctions-hit Russia, and asserted that New Delhi cannot “wish away” its defence ties with Moscow.
Another matter that is likely to figure high in the talks is the H-1B issue with an American official saying Pompeo will assure the Indian leadership that the Trump administration has no plans to impose a cap on issuing the highly sought-after H-1B visas.
On the issue of the situation arising out of the ending of exemptions from US sanctions to buy oil from Iran, the diplomatic sources here said a decision will be taken based on India’s energy security and commercial considerations.