India has certain “red lines” in its negotiations for a trade deal with the United States and it will stand firm in protecting the interests of farmers and small producers, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said , days before additional American tariffs on Indian goods are set to come into effect.
Jaishankar also sounded critical of the US for targeting 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.
PTI had reported that the external affairs minister made these remarks while speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum, also made 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 defused 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 said that US President 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.
“We’ve not had a US President who has conducted foreign policy as publicly as the current one. That itself is a departure that’s not limited to India,” he said.
The external affairs minister said trade is “really the major issue” between the two countries, adding India has certain “red lines” and that the negotiations for the proposed trade are underway.
“We as the government are committed to defend the interests of our farmers and small producers. We are very determined on that. That’s not something we can compromise on,” he said.
