New Delhi, Jun 25 On the eve of US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo's India visit beginning Tuesday late evening, sources remain optimistic that there could be a 'US waiver' vis-a-vis Indian deal with the Russians for the defence system.
Sources said here that the long standing defence relations between India and Russia cannot be wished away.
"The S-400 is an issue that has been discussed. We know that this matter is of some concern to the US. I cannot deal much about the US position on the issue, but at the same time, India has a long standing defence relationship with Russia which we cannot wish away," a source said here.
A US State Department official said last week that the US "urged all of our allies and partners, India included, to forego transactions with Russia that risk triggering the CAATSA sanctions".
But Indian source said: "The US legislation is very clear as to what circumstances a waiver can be given by the US administration. There are various pros and cons ...which we feel India meets. If you look at the issue from legal point of view, our understanding and assessment is that India fulfills those requirement".
The US administration thus can have 'enough flexibility' to give waiver in favour of India.
Hardly a week since Modi government took over for second term, a top US functionary Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper arrived India on June 6 and reportedly interacted with the Indian side on defence partnership and also take steps for "furthering opportunities for American industry" and push for $15 billion fighter jet deal.
The US-India bilateral defence trade has risen from virtually zero in 2008 to $15 billion.
From Indian point of view, it has been given to understand that the Indian Air Force is in urgent need of upgraded fighter jets but the Modi government had laid emphasis earlier to 'procure' the jets under its ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The Donald Trump administration is hopeful that the deal will prove to be “favourable” for the US.
US envoy to India Ken Juster also welcomed R Clarke Cooper to US Embassy in New Delhi earlier this month and said in a Twitter missive. "Good discussion on efforts to strengthen US-India defense ties and further support India’s role as a Major Defense Partner," Ambassador Juster wrote.
Indian officials say S-400 deal has been discussed with Russians almost for a decade now.
Sources sought to clarify that the US is "well aware" of the circumstances those have compelled to go for 6-400 missile defence system and "we have explained the rationale very well".
"The US is in fact well appreciative of Indian requirement....," the source said.
The S-400 Triumf long-range missile can hit targets up to 400 km, making it one of the world's most lethal surface-to-air missiles.
Meanwhile, earlier this month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and other officials an reviewed defence acquisition matters.
No major pact on cards during Pompeo visit, but trip will boost Indo-US ties
New Delhi, Jun 25 When it comes to dealing with countries such as the United States, India should 'look beyond MoUs and pacts', a diplomatic source said here on the eve of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to India.
"We should look beyond MoUs. The maximum benefits we can get out of this talk is what goes inside the hall and not what happens outside. Therefore, we should not look at Pompeo's visit to India - first since the re-election of the Modi government - not from the point of view of how many MoUs have been inked or otherwise," a diplomatic source said here.
India is definitely not approaching this visit eyeing towards MoUs and other things. "This is a visit about two ministers Mr Pompeo and Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar getting to know each other. Because we will have many things to do at later stage".
Mr Pompeo is arriving late Tuesday night and during his stay will have talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar. His visit concludes on June 27.
The visit is expected to prepare ground for Modi-Donald Trump bilateral talks in Japan by month end at the sidelines of G20 Summit.
Prime Minister Modi and the US President Trump are likely have bilateral talks on June 28, the first day of the G20 Summit at Osaka in Japan.
The visit of Mr Pompeo, as indicated by the US would like to give a "jump-start" to a discussion on trade and to resolve longstanding differences and 'irritants' in the bilateral relationship.
Secretary Pompeo will talk specifically with his counterpart Dr Jaishankar whom the US administration considers "one of the visionaries behind the expansion of the US-India Strategic Partnership" about expanding security, energy, and space cooperation, among other things, an US official has said in Washington.
The US side is also expected to "assure" the Indian leadership that Washington have no plans to place caps on H-1B work.
"On H-1B, we attach great importance to the U.S.-India relationship. Indians have contributed under the H-1B program to the U.S. economy....There is a broad review of the H-1B program underway, but this review is not targeted at India. It’s completely separate from our ongoing discussions with India about the importance of ensuring better trade," the US official has said.
Incidentally, this will be first meeting between Dr Jaishankar and his American counterpart Pompeo.
The Indian officials have indicated that Pompeo-Jaishankar parleys on Wednesday in the capital is actually "just a beginning" to positive developments expected to further strengthen Indo-US ties in next five years.
"So, we are not seeing at this event as for signing MoUs etc...," the source said.
"We are looking at this visit as an useful input," the diplomatic source said.
The broad trajectory between two sides is 'very strong', the source pointed out.
Sources, however, maintained that wide range of issues are expected to figure at the talks.
The US administration's "ambition" is to do business with the new administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "to make headway, to jump-start a discussion on trade, and to move quickly to resolve what have been very longstanding differences and irritants in the bilateral relationship".
"....this is not something that’s going to be solved in one meeting, but being able to kickstart a serious process, a credible process, and a candid process is going to be critical," a senior US official has said.
If human rights, cow vigilante come up, India will tell US that it has 'no lucus standi'
New Delhi, Jun 25 Indian officials are not sure whether the Human Rights report by the US Department of State released last week that castigates Indian government would be raised during Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit beginning later Tuesday night.
"I do not know whether this issue will come up or not come up.....But it is also true that such reports come out in the US every year. This report is mandated by the US Congress," a source said here.
The source maintained that "every time you ask for our comments, we will say they (the US) do not have locus standi".
"If the issue comes up then our position is very clear," the diplomatic source said.
India has denied claims made in a U.S. religious freedom report that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has failed to contain violence targeting non-Hindus.
The annual International Religious Freedom Report released by US government on June 21 said that religious freedom conditions in India continued a downward trend in 2018.
“Exclusionary extremist narratives” increased in recent years “including, at times, the government’s allowance and encouragement of mob violence against religious minorities that have facilitated an egregious and ongoing campaign of violence, intimidation and harassment against non-Hindu and lower-caste Hindu minorities,” the report had said.
Much to the chagrin of the pro-Hindutva BJP leadership and Modi-led dispensation, the '2018 International Religious Freedom Report' of the US government says as many as ten Indian provinces or states have the risk factors for religious minorities.
"The worsening conditions for religious freedom largely impacted ten states (Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Odisha, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan); the 19 remaining states remained relatively open and free for religious minorities," says the report.
Raveesh Kumar, spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry, rejected the report’s findings.
"We see no locus standi for a foreign entity or government to pronounce on the state of our citizens’
constitutionally protected rights," Mr Kumar has said on June 23.
"India is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy and a pluralistic society with a longstanding commitment to tolerance and inclusion," he has said.
BJP MP and party's media in charge had said in a statement: "The basic presumption in this report that there is some grand design behind anti-minority violence is simply false....Whenever needed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders have strongly deplored violence against minorities and weaker sections of the society".
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