India, US to hold comprehensive talks soon over trade issues

Amid Washington's growing protectionism, India and the US have agreed to have comprehensive official level talks to address their trade and economic issues. The decision came in the wake of US President Donald Trump's accusing India of imposing 100 per cent tariff on some imports from the US.

Trump said this after the recent G7 summit in Canada, while accusing a number of countries of robbing the US as a piggybank.

The decision to hold the talks was taken during a series of meetings between Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu and US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

Prabhu also had talks with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Senators John Cornyn and Mark Warner -- co-chairs of the Senate India caucus.

He told the media at the end of his two-day visit to Washington on Tuesday, June 12, that they would now work together to expand trade between them.

Prabhu said India will send a team soon to chalk out the details and initiate a detailed negotiation on all issues concerning trade and economic ties between the two nations.

Prabhu acknowledged that India and the US have mutual trade and tariff issues and the officials will have words on them.

Trump had also targeted India earlier this year on the tariff issue saying the latter imposed high tariffs on the import of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

The India-US ties have also seen some concerns over India's entering a military deal with Russia to procure S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems for it could see India earning Washington's legal wrath for engaging with Russia.

Meanwhile, Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Singh Sarna said New Delhi has communicated to the US over the steel and aluminium tariffs seeking waiver on them and the engagement has been positive.