India has declined President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate in border skirmishes with China, reaffirming its commitment to a bilateral approach in handling such matters.
“Whatever issues we have with any of our neighbors, we have always adopted a bilateral approach to dealing with these issues,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated during a news briefing following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to the U.S. to meet with President Trump after his return to the White House for a second, non-consecutive term.
During a joint press conference with the Prime Minister, President Trump remarked, “I look at India, I do see the skirmishes on the border, which are quite vicious, and I guess they continue to go on.”
He added, “If I could be of help, I’d love to help because that should be stopped. That’s been going on for a long time, and it’s quite violent.”
This was not the first time Trump had offered to mediate. He had previously extended similar offers during his first term regarding both India-China and India-Pakistan disputes. India had politely declined those offers, just as it did on this occasion. However, this may not be the last such remark from the U.S. President, who seeks to shape his legacy as a “peacemaker.”
Foreign Secretary Misri also addressed other issues, including tariffs, a recurring topic raised by Trump during the four-hour discussions with the Prime Minister.
“We’ve been hearing about tariffs for quite some time, and in today’s discussion, this issue came up as part of the talks between the two leaders,” Misri said. “Both sides presented their perspectives. However, what’s more noteworthy is that we now have a way forward through the undertaking to initiate discussions on a bilateral trade agreement. This presents a significant opportunity to finalize something that was initially envisioned during the first Trump administration.”
The two nations had worked on a trade deal for Trump and Modi to sign during the former’s visit to India in February 2020, but negotiators were unable to reach a final agreement.
According to the joint statement released after the leaders’ meeting, negotiations will resume with a deadline set for the fall of this year. “We are looking at the next seven to eight months to complete this process, and today, both teams have received instructions from the highest levels to begin engagement,” Misri stated.
Regarding President Trump’s mention of offering F-35 fighter jets—the most advanced aircraft in the U.S.-led Western military alliance—to India, Misri said, “This is currently at the stage of a proposal. However, the formal process has not yet begun.”
— IANS
