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Wednesday, June 26, 2019, 14:56
Pompeo meets Indian leader amid trade tensions
By Associated Press
Wednesday, June 26, 2019, 14:56 By Associated Press

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during their meeting at the Prime Minister's Residence, June 26, 2019, in New Delhi, India. (PHOTO / AP)

NEW DELHI — US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began official meetings in India's capital on Wednesday amid growing tensions over trade and tariffs that has strained the partners' ties.

Pompeo called on India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday morning. No details were immediately disclosed about their almost an hourlong meeting. Pompeo is later scheduled to meet his counterpart S Jaishankar.

Pompeo arrived in New Delhi late Tuesday after visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan on a trip aimed at building a global coalition to counter Iran

Pompeo arrived in New Delhi late Tuesday after visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan on a trip aimed at building a global coalition to counter Iran.

His visit is the first high-level engagement between the two countries since Modi's reelection last month. The countries call each other a strategic partner despite retaliatory tariffs they imposed on some of the other's goods this month.

READ MORE: Iran says US cyber attacks fail, hints at possible talks

India imposed tariffs on 28 American products including apples and almonds on June 16 in retaliation for the US ending India's preferential trade status on June 1. The Trump administration imposed higher duties on products including aluminum and steel.

The visit also comes ahead of the scheduled meeting between President Donald Trump and Modi on the sidelines of the Group of 20 Summit in Japan later this week.

The two countries' officials are also likely to discuss India's plans to purchase Russia's S-400 air defense system. US has shown reservations about the deal. But still the US has become India's top defense supplier in last two years. India's trade with the US has also seen steady growth at US$150 billion annually.

ALSO READ: US, India seek to deepen defense ties and sign key accord

Indian officials say they have little differences with the US over political and strategic issues including on Iran, but they have cautioned the two countries need to be careful on trade and commerce.

An activist of All India Peace and Solidarity Organization, AIPSO, a left-wing organization, holds a placard during a protest against the upcoming visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to India, in New Delhi, India, June 25, 2019. (ALTAF QADRI / AP)

Before Pompeo's arrival in India, hundreds of supporters of left-wing groups marched in central New Delhi to protest his visit and denounce American policies in the Middle East. The protesters held banners reading "No war on Iran" and chanted slogans such as "Hands off Iran, hands off!" and "War mongering America, down down."

They urged the Indian government not to cut off imports of oil from Iran, as the US has demanded.

Unannounced visit to Kabul

Pompeo paid an unannounced visit to Kabul on Tuesday on his way to New Delhi, and met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah to discuss the ongoing peace talks with Taliban, according to local media.

Pompeo said that he hopes that Afghanistan will achieve a peace deal ahead of the Presidential Elections scheduled for Sept 28, local TV station Tolonews has reported.

He also expressed the hope that US and Taliban would reach a peace deal before Sept 1.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with, from left, Resolute Support NATO Base Commander Gen. Austin Scott Miller, Afghanistan Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass, Pompeo, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, June 25, 2019, during an unannounced visit to Kabul, Afghanistan. (PHOTO / AFP)

US is ready to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan, but there is no timeline, Pompeo reaffirmed, reports Xinhua.

Pompeo's visit to Afghanistan, which lasted about seven hours, comes ahead of a seventh round of peace talks between US and Taliban representatives, aiming to find a political settlement to end the war in Afghanistan, which has lasted since 2001.

With Xinhua inputs

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