WASHINGTON, Jan 4: India’s outgoing Ambassador to the US and new Foreign Secretary designate Harsh Vardhan Shringla called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and discussed “further strengthening” of the ties between two countries which has made ‘excellent progress’ lately.
“Ambassador Harsh Shringla paid a farewell call on Secretary of State Pompeo. They discussed further strengthening of the partnership between India and the US building on the excellent progress made in 2019,” said a tweet from the Indian embassy in Washington.
Mr Shringla will be leaving for New Delhi to take up his next assignment as India’s next foreign secretary, succeeding Vijay Gokhale who will retire later this month.
The meeting between Mr Pompeo and Mr Shringla is considered ‘unusual’ for a US Secretary of State to meet an outgoing envoy.
Meanwhile, Mr Shringla said at a farewell lunch that India and the US are close to concluding a trade deal.
“We are close to concluding a trade package that would provide enhanced market access to both countries,” he said.
It may be mentioned that on September 24, 2019, US President Donald Trump had said in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York his country will soon have a trade deal with India.
(UNI)
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