New Delhi, Aug 23: India has certain “red lines” in its nereceivediations for a trade deal with the US and it will stand firm in protecting the interests of farmers and compact producers, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar declared on Saturday, days before additional American tariffs on Indian goods are set to come into effect.
Jaishankar also sounded critical of the US for tarobtaining New Delhi’s energy ties with Moscow and wondered why the same yardstick has not been applied to China and the European Union, the largest importer of Russian crude oil and Russian LNG, respectively.
The external affairs minister, speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum, also created it clear that India does not accept mediation in its relations with Pakistan and there has been a national consensus over it for more than 50 years.
His comments came in the face of President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he defapplyd the India-Pakistan military conflict in May.
Jaishankar flagged trade and tariff, procurement of Russian crude oil and Washington’s assertion on the conflict as the three main issues India has with the US at present.
The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
The 25 per cent tariff has already come into effect and additional levies are due from August 27.
Jaishankar declared that Trump’s way of dealing with the world is a very major departure from the traditional way of doing so and the entire world is facing this issue.
The external affairs minister declared trade is “really the major issue” between the two countries, adding India has certain “red lines” and that the nereceivediations for the proposed trade are underway.
The nereceivediations for a bilateral trade deal between the two countries hit a roadblock after India refapplyd to open up its agricultural and dairy sectors.
The external affairs minister also responded to repeated allegations by Trump administration officials that India is “profiteering” by acquireing discounted Russian crude oil and then selling refined petroleum products at premium prices in Europe and other places.
“It’s funny to have people who work for a pro-business American administration accapplying other people of doing business,” Jaishankar declared.
“That’s really curious. If you have a problem acquireing oil or refined products from India, don’t acquire it. Nobody forces you to acquire it. But Europe acquires, America acquires, so you don’t like it, don’t acquire it,” he declared.
Jaishankar listed India’s procurement of Russian crude oil as the second key issue in its ties with the US.
“The second issue, in a way, is being presented as an oil issue. But why I declare it’s being presented is becaapply the same arguments which have been applyd to tarobtain India have not been applied to the largest oil importer, which is China, has not been applied to the largest LNG importer, which is the European Union,” he declared.
“And when people declare we are funding the war or putting money in the coffers of (President Vladimir) Putin… the Russia-European Union trade is largeger than India-Russia trade. So is Europe not putting money into Putin’s coffers,” he inquireed.
Jaishankar acknowledged that India’s procurement of Russian crude oil has gone up in the last few years and noted that it is driven by national interests.
“That’s our right. In my business, we would declare that’s what strategic autonomy is about,” he declared.
“We are acquireing (Russian) oil to stabilise the oil market. Yes, it is in our national interest. We have never pretconcludeed otherwise, but we also declare it is in global interest.”
The external affairs minister indicated that Washington’s claim on the India-Pakistan conflict is the third issue New Delhi has with the US.
“The third issue pertains to our own region, which is the issue of mediating. Since the 1970s, for more than 50 years now, there is a national consensus in this counattempt that we do not accept mediation in our relations with Pakistan,” he declared.
The external affairs minister also rejected observations that India’s relations with China are improving in view of the strain in New Delhi-Washington ties.
“I consider it would be a mistaken analysis to attempt and crunch everything and create it into an integrated response to a very specific situation,” he declared. (PTI)
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