EAM S Jaishankar meets Mike Pompeo amid advanced trade discussions

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in Washington on Monday. meeting comes amid vanced sts of discussions between US and India on a tre deal soon. Ministry of External Affairs is on a three-day visit to US. EAM Jaishankar will also be meeting US Defence Secretary Mark Esper and new National Security visor Robert O'Brien. 

EAM S Jaishankar tweets about meeting Mike Pompeo

RE | S Jaishankar: Most India-US tre deals are resolvable

India-US tre

In June, following revocation of preferential tre privileges by US President Donald Trump, re began tensions on tre front between two countries. India, in response to this imposed tariffs on 28 US products, including almonds and apples. India h been biggest beneficiary of Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), a programme designed to help developing countries sell to US consumers. At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on sidelines on UNGA summit, US President Donald Trump h said that New Delhi and Washington would reach tre deal "soon". 

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EAM S Jaishankar on India- US tre

EAM S Jaishankar said most of tre disputes between India and US are 'resolvable in near term', as he ruled out pushing issue for next American ministration. In an event organised by Carnegie Endowment for International Relationship think-tank, Jaishankar said foreign policy and priorities of Modi government is in tune with realities of a New India, which is currently fifth-largest global ecomy and is soon going to be third-largest. "Most of tre disputes (with US) are resolvable in near term," Jaishankar told audience in his first engment of his maiden trip to US capital as External Affairs Minister. He said Modi government wants to resolve Indo-US bilateral tre issue as early as possible and does t want to push it for next ministration in US.

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India- US tre deal

US Presidential election is scheduled to take place in vember 2020. India and US are negotiating a tre pack to iron out bilateral tre issues and promote two-way commerce. India is demanding exemption from high duties imposed by US on certain steel and aluminum products, resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under ir Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), greater market access for its products from sectors, including agriculture, automobile, auto components and engineering. On or hand US wants greater market access for its farm and manufacturing products, dairy items and medical devices, and cut on import duties on some ICT products. 

US has also raised concerns over high tre deficit with India. In 2018-19, India's exports to US stood at USD 52.4 billion, while imports were USD 35.5 billion. Tre deficit dipped from USD 21.3 billion in 2017-18 to USD 16.9 billion in 2018-19. India received FDI worth USD 3.13 billion from US in 2018-19, higher than USD 2 billion in 2017-18. Jaishankar said some of backbones of bilateral ties are kwledge ecomy, which is growing deeper, and diaspora connect, which has become stronger both in terms of number and quality.

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