NEW YORK, July 1:
Contentious trade issues between India and the US are unlikely to have led to the postponement of the first 2+2 dialogue between them and the Trump administration’s focus on the July 16 summit with Russia and a possible meeting with North Korean officials could have prompted the deferment of the talks, according to leading India-US experts.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were to travel to Washington to take part in the meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defence James Mattis on July 6.
However, Pompeo spoke over phone with Swaraj on June 27 and conveyed to her “his regret at the postponement” of the 2+2 dialogue due to “unavoidable reasons”. They agreed to reschedule the dialogue as “soon as possible”.
Former US Ambassador to India Frank Wisner said that he has “no reason” to doubt the “official line” that the US asked for the delay because of “unavoidable reasons”. “While there are a number of contentious trade issues to sort out, none rise singly or collectively to constitute a crisis or anything like one. The strategic logic of the relationship remains strong,” (PTI)
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