India-US ties have weathered many challenges, will continue to move forward—MEA after Trump outburst
Speaking at the weekly Ministry of External Affairs briefing, spokesperson Randeep Jaiswal asserted that both countries have a 'comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties'.
New Delhi: Amid the continued social media outbursts by President Donald Trump, India Friday said that the bilateral ties have 'weathered several transitions and challenges' and is confident that the relationship will continue to move forward'.
He expressed confidence that the partnership would continue to grow, despite recent trade tensions and differences over energy and market access, even as he asserted that 'India was looking into the sanctions'.
On Trump's attack on India for buying Russian oil, Jaiswal said that India's bilateral relations with Russia stand 'on their own merit and should not be seen from the prism of a third country. India and Russia, he added, share a 'steady and time-tested partnership'. 'India and Russia have a steady and time-tested partnership,' Jaiswal said.
Trump on 30 July announced that India will pay a 25 percent tariff starting 1 August, along with a penalty for its continued purchase of oil from Russia.
Also read: Trump tariff forces India to shed illusion. Stop conflating status with power
India-US defence ties
Jaiswal also addressed defence cooperation between the two countries and said that India's security partnership with the U.S. has been 'strengthening over the last several years', with the potential to expand further under the India-U.S. COMPACT for the 21st century.
Under the U.S.-India COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology), signed February this year, both are looking at a decade-long framework to strengthen the Major Defence Partnership, spanning all domains. Under this, the U.S. will support India in new procurements and co-production of Javelin missiles and Stryker vehicles, along with finalising six more P-8I aircraft for maritime surveillance, among other things.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Trump's new trade tariff will have an impact not just on India but also South Asia. Here's how
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