Source : DNA INDIA NEWS
US President Donald Trump met UK PM Keir Starmer and signed a document. He also met Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba, but failed to reach a common point. Why did he not meet PM Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G-7 summit?
Narendra Modi in Canada before G-7 Summit.
In what may be called a big setback for India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not meet US President Donald Trump in Canada on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting, as planned earlier. Trump left a day earlier due to escalating tension in the Middle East after Israel and Iran got engaged in attacking each other. The officials of India and the US had reportedly finalized the main issues of the trade deal and two leaders were expected to thrash out the main sticking points before the deal was announced. The deal must be signed before July 9, when the US tariff of 26% on Indian goods will come into force.
US-India trade deal on anvil
The long-awaited Modi-Trump meeting was expected to send clear political signals and set the right tone for the trade agreement between the two countries. The meeting was also important because the US officials pushed India too much for market access to farm products like wheat, maize and soybean and poultry products like chicken. On the other hand, Indian officials were reportedly adamant about not allowing genetically modified crops like cotton. The two leaders could reach a common point and send signals to their officials to be ready for a give-and-take compromise on these issues.
It is interesting to note that Donald Trump met UK PM Keir Starmer and signed a document. He also met Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba, but failed to reach a common point. Analysts believe the US President was personally not happy with India, which rejected his claim that it was he who mediated the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. New Delhi claimed that Donald Trump did not play any role and it was the Pakistan DGMO who called his Indian counterpart for the ceasefire after suffering too many losses.
Canada invites Narendra Modi to improve ties?
Earlier India was not invited to the G-7 summit as it is not a member of the group. However, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney extended the invitation to India keeping in mind the size and depth of its economy. The host country also wanted to improve its ties with New Delhi after these hit the rock-bottom last year when then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of being involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
SOURCE : DNA NEW
