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John Kerry meets PM Narendra Modi at amid collapse of WTO trade deal talks

By FnF Desk | PUBLISHED: 01, Aug 2014, 12:48 pm IST | UPDATED: 01, Aug 2014, 16:31 pm IST

John Kerry meets PM Narendra Modi at amid collapse of WTO trade deal talks New Delhi: US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Delhi on Wednesday to hold the 5th Indo-US Strategic Dialogue on Thursday during which India will be raising issues of snooping by the US' NSA and terrorism even as the two sides will explore "transformative initiatives" in key areas such as defence and energy.

John Kerry along with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj will co-chair the Dialogue which will also be attended by senior representatives of various ministries including home and defence.

Union Minister of State for Commerce (Independent charge) Nirmala Sitharaman will also participate in the Dialogue which will explore ways to strengthen bilateral business ties.

The India visit of United States Secretary of State John Kerry later this week would lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington in September to meet President Barack Obama, an American official said.

"Secretary Kerry's visit underscores the importance of the US-India partnership, and will lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Modi's September visit to the United States," State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said.

Why Kerry in India?

Cooperation between India and the United States in nuclear energy, shale gas, electricity and renewable power will be high on the agenda during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in September, a government official said while a Cabinet minister told ET that India would want an equitable relationship.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who landed in India this week for the India-US Strategic Dialogue ahead of Modi's visit to the US, also has energy issues on his agenda.

"The first Cabinet-level meeting with a US official since the inauguration of the new Indian government and the discussion will cover the full range of bilateral issues, including expanding bilateral trade, tackling climate change, improving India's energy security through cooperation in clean energy and energy access," the statement said.

Power, coal and renewable energy minister Piyush Goyal said there was a lot of scope for energy cooperation. "There is no doubt that there is immens scope of collaboration in the power, coal, solar and wind energy sectors between the US and India, but provided that there is an equitable relationship where the interests of both the nations are served equally," he told media persons.

What is strategic dialogue?

A strategic dialogue is high-level political interaction. India and the United States launched ministerial-level strategic dialogue in July 2009, focusing on five areas of mutual interest which are energy and climate change, education and development, economy, trade and agriculture, science and technology, health and innovation.

The first Strategic Dialogue was held in Washington DC in June 2010, followed by successive rounds.

John Kerry meets Narendra Modi at his residence

US Secretary of State John Kerry visited 7, Race Course Road to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day after he met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. Kerry is in India for the 5th India-US Strategic Dialogue. Notably, Kerry's is the first high-level contact of the US government with the Modi government.

US blames India for collapse of WTO trade deal talks

The United States has blamed India for the collapse of the talks for a Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and said that New Delhi taking a hardline position has put the future of World Trade Organisation in "uncertain ground".

In a statement, the US has regretted that "India and handful of (WTO) Members" decided not to adhere to their commitment to implement the TFA consistent with the Bali agreement. Read more

India, US stress strategic ties but tensions remain

The United States and India stressed their desire to boost business and defense ties on Thursday, but trade and spying rows were a reminder of the obstacles to President Barack Obama's vision of a "defining" partnership.

After a day of meetings in New Delhi seen as a preparation for a September visit to Washington by new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the Indian leader's election had created a "singular opportunity."

US welcomes Narendra Modi, was denied visa by previous government

In perhaps the first explanation of the US denial of visa for Narendra Modi, the Obama Administration today said the decision was taken by the "previous" government.

"It's a very big deal. Different government, it's a different government now. Just like it is here. We will welcome Prime Minister Modi.

"He is going to get a welcome. Of course, he will get a visa. No question whatsoever. And we look forward to a terrific meeting with President Obama in September," Secretary of State John Kerry told NDTV.

India-US joint statement talks tough to Pakistan to bring 26/11 attack perpetrators to justice

India and the US today asked Pakistan to work towards bringing the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice even as they vowed to eliminate terrorist safe havens and disrupt terror networks including that of al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

In a joint statement after marathon talks between visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, the leaders reiterated their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms.

They reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure and disrupting terrorist networks including al-Qaeda and the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the statement said.

"The leaders called on Pakistan to work toward bringing the perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice," it added.

Sushma Swaraj says, Indians angry with snooping

India today bluntly told the US that surveillance of political leaders and others in India by the American intelligence was "unacceptable" to which the US responded by saying that any differences that may exist can be resolved by intelligence communities of the two countries.

This emerged after marathon talks between visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry, the highest-ranking dignitary to visit India since the installation of the Modi government, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here. The two sides had wide-range of key issues like trade, defence and energy.

At a joint press conference tonight, Swaraj was asked if she had raised the issue of surveillance of BJP leaders in 2010 by the US National Security Agency (NSA), as was made public recently on the basis of revelations of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

Swaraj replied,"I raised this issue with Secretary Kerry. I told them that when this news appeared in Indian papers, Indians were agitated and they had expressed their anger too.

NSA snooping issue raised with John Kerry

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has raised the issue of the US National Security Agency (NSA) snooping on India with John Kerry, say sources. Kerry on his part has said that the US would take all steps to pave the way for Indian PM Narendra Modi when he visits the US in September.

John Kerry meets Sushma Swaraj

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin had told reporters yesterday that both Kerry and Sushma Swaraj will interact with the media after the talks. The media interaction will be followed by a working dinner between Kerry and Sushma Swaraj.

"India-US relation is witnessing a stable and mature growth and the meeting between Sushma Swaraj and Kerry is expected to explore new frontiers and initiatives to strengthen bilateral ties," Akbaruddin said.
Noting that the Indo-US ties were at a stage of "stable and mature growth", the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said the two ministers are expected to explore new frontiers and initiatives to further promote bilateral relations.

US Secretary of State John Kerry meets Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived on Wednesday to re-energise the bilateral ties and to narrow the differences on various issues, on Thursday met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The US leader also took time out of his busy schedule and visited two Indian Institute of Technology laboratories and interacted with the students. Kerry visited the Applied Microbiology Laboratory and Bio-process lab of the IIT.

Today's meeting between the two leaders holds significance as it aims to lay the groundwork for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's much-awaited visit to the United States in September.

Kerry's meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj can be seen as a prologue to Narendra Modi's visit to the United States in October. The meeting is strategically important firstly due to the change in the government, and both the countries know that. India and US are important allies for each other, especially against the continuous rise of China in global politics as a formidable power.

Ahead of visit, John Kerry endorsed Narendra Modi's 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' as a great vision

The developmental plan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflected in his poll slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" is a great vision, US Secretary of State John Kerry said today on the eve of his departure to India. Kerry will be in New Delhi to co-chair the fifth annual India–US Strategic Dialogue with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.

In fulsome praise of the developmental agenda encompassing inclusive growth of Modi, Kerry in a major foreign policy speech on India said that the US is ready to be partner with the new Indian government in its endeavour.

"The new Indian government's plan, 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', together with all, development for all – that's a concept, a vision that we want to support. We believe it's a great vision, and our private sector is eager to be a catalyst in India's economic revitalisation," Kerry said in his address to a Washington audience at an event held by the Center for American Progress, a top US think tank.
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