During talks with Pritzker and Secretary of State John Kerry in New Delhi, India’s foreign and commerce ministers said the USA decision to hike fees for H-1B and L-1 visas – nearly 70 percent of which are held by Indians – damaged Indian industry and might hurt “mutual trust” between the nations.
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in India for strategic and commercial talks being held against the backdrop of rising tensions in the disputed region of Kashmir, long a flashpoint between India and rival Pakistan.
“We reaffirmed the urgent necessity for Pakistan to dismantle safe havens for terrorists and criminal networks, including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and D-Company”. “We both agreed that nations must not maintain double standards, such as the categorization of good and bad terrorists, nor must they act as safe havens”, she said.
Stepping up cooperation on counter-terrorism, India and United States on Tuesday agreed on a joint cyber framework and intensify intelligence sharing in combating terror and violent extremism.
In a meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval earlier in the day, Kerry discussed regional security challenges in South Asia, as well counter-terrorism efforts, said U.S. state department spokesperson Mark Toner.
“My hope is that Pakistan as a country is not isolated by this, but is encouraged by this”, he said.
‘We agree on additional measures to strengthen our counterterrorism, ‘ said Swaraj.
India blames Pakistani-based groups for that attack and others, including one earlier this year on an Indian Air Force base.
Kerry said that instead of feeling isolated, Pakistan should see it as a roadmap for making its choices to combat terror.
Afghanistan would also be discussed, the official said, amid closer ties between India and Afghanistan, which is likely to aggravate fears in Pakistan of being wedged between two hostile neighbours. He said, Indo-US relations are at its best at present and the two nations are more deeply engaged on important issues than at any time in history of the relationship.
He further said the U.S. would want its civil nuclear cooperation with India to take shape in setting up of reactors that deliver reliable electricity to Indian households.
But India made it clear that Pakistan was the obstacle to the path of dialogue, and that talks and terror can not go hand in hand.
“I am happy to note that there was a meeting of minds on this issue”, she said.
He further said the United States would want its civil nuclear cooperation with India to take shape in setting up of reactors that deliver reliable electricity to Indian households.
The deal has been held up in the past over concerns over an Indian law that would make U.S. companies liable for accidents at nuclear sites they helped construct.
The meeting was also joined by U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and India’s junior commerce and industry minister Nirmala Seetharaman.
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“As far as Kashmir is concerned, the Indian Government has been very proactive in handling the violence which comes from across the border” Parrikar told Pentagon reporters at a joint news conference with US Defence Secretary, Ashton Carter on Monday.
