US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit India, set to hold talks with the leadership for strengthening strategic partnership

In first high-level visit from any country following Lok Sabha polls, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo will be in India from June 25-27 and hold talks with leership to strengn strategic partnership.

His visit comes ahe of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on sidelines of G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan on June 28-29.

During his visit, Pompeo would hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and call upon or dignitaries, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing.pre

"We look upon visit as an important opportunity for both sides to furr strengn India-US strategic partnership and continue high-level engment on matters of mutual interest, including bilateral, regional and global issues," Mr Kumar said.

"This is first high-level engment between India and US following elections. This is also first incoming high-level visit from any country. We look upon this visit as an opportunity to discuss all issues which will be on table," he said.

Pompeo Thursday also spoke with Mr Jaishankar and underscored Trump ministration's strong commitment to work closely with India to vance bilateral strategic partnership.

State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said Secretary Pompeo and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar discussed shared US and Indian objectives in safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific, US India security cooperation, and US-India ecomic partnership.

Raveesh Kumar said that during talks here most of issues under bilateral framework will be discussed and re will be some talks on regional as well as global issues of mutual interest.

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Asked about media reports on US considering caps on H-1B work visa, Mr Kumar said, "We have t heard anything officially from US government. We continue to reiterate and eng with US government on this matter."

On wher issue will be taken up with Pompeo during his visit here, Mr Kumar said it would t be right to speculate on nda of his meetings here.

"re is (official) report as such. re is US official who has come up with a statement. It is a source-based report. We have t yet heard anything from US government on this. We remain engd with US ministration, we remain engd with Congress on this issue," Mr Kumar said.

India has emphasised time and again at interactions at all levels contribution of Indian skilled professionals to growth and development of US ecomy, he said.

Mr Kumar said it is important to understand that in a relationship that is as deep as it is with US, re will be certain issues that will be on table at all times.

"We should look at this relationship from overall perspective. overall direction of relationship remains very positive," he said. Citing popular election slogan "Modi hai to mumkin hai", Pompeo last week sought to take bilateral relationship with India to next level and said Trump and Modi ministrations have a "unique opportunity" to make it happen.

"As Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi said in his latest campaign, 'Modi hai to mumkin hai,' or 'Modi makes it possible', I'm looking forward to exploring what's possible between our people," Pompeo said in his major India policy speech at India Ideas Summit of US-India Business Council last Wednesday.

Referring to speech, Raveesh Kumar said despite all talk of tre issues, bilateral tre has grown to USD 150 billion.

He cited developments such as seven-fold increase in bilateral tre since 2001, India being granted a major defence partner status, and US supporting India for a permanent seat in Security Council, to assert that ties were on an upswing.

Whatever issues are re will be appropriately discussed between two sides, MEA spokesperson said.

On issue of data localisation, Mr Kumar said re are consultations taking place both within government and also between government and industry. "We will remain engd with US on this matter and see how we can dispel any misconception on data localisation that y may have," he said.Apart from India, Pompeo will also travel to Sri Lanka, Japan and South Korea from June 24 to 30. His four-nation tour is aimed at deepening US partnerships in strategic Indo-Pacific region.