Mike Pompeo meets Narendra Modi; discusses S-400 defence deal, H-1B visas, ahead of G20 Summit in Japan with Donald Trump

New Delhi: US secretary of state Mike Pompeo met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday and discussed various aspects of the bilateral relationship to strengthen the India-US strategic partnership. Pompeo, who arrived in India last night, will hold detailed discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in the afternoon and have a working lunch with him. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted pictures of the meeting.

Working together to further deepen our strategic partnership@SecPompeo called on PM @narendramodi to exchange views on various aspects of Indo-US relationship. PM will meet President @realDonaldTrump on the sidelines of the upcoming #G20OsakaSummit pic.twitter.com/Jjjp9gTKbd

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) June 26, 2019

Ahead of the strategically-important India-US talks, diplomatic sources on Tuesday said India meets the US waiver criteria for procuring the S-400 missile defence system from sanctions-hit Russia, and asserted that New Delhi cannot “wish away” its defence ties with Moscow. Besides India’s missile defence system deal with Russia, terrorism, H-1B visas, trade and the situation arising out of US sanctions on buying oil from Iran, are likely to be discussed between Jaishankar and Pompeo. This will be the first high-level interaction between the two countries after the return of the Modi government to power last month. Pompeo’s visit comes ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Modi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan later this week.