The MEA spokesperson was responding to a volley of questions on Trump’s tariffs, his diatribe against India as well as his critical remarks on New Delhi’s trade ties with Russia.The US president on Wednesday announced the 25 per cent tariff on India along with an unspecified “penalty” for buying “vast majority” of Russian military equipment and crude oil, adding India has the “most strenuous and obnoxious” non-monetary trade barriers.As India was analysing the potential impact of the US tariffs on its exports, Trump again blasted New Delhi for its trade links with Russia, indicating a serious strain in the bilateral ties.”I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”Asked about the US criticism of India for its energy and military procurements from Russia, Jaiswal did not give a direct reply but said the broader approach is based on national interest.”In securing our energy needs, we are guided by what is on offer in the markets, and by the prevailing global circumstances,” he said.It is learnt some of the Indian refiners have put a temporary “pause” on procurement of Russian crude oil in view of market dynamics.”Our bilateral relationships with various countries stand on their own merit and should not be seen from the prism of a third country. India and Russia have a steady and time-tested partnership,” Jaiswal said in response to a question.”The sourcing of our defence requirements is determined solely by our national security imperatives and strategic assessments,” he said.Jaiswal also noted that India has a strong defence partnership with the US.”We have a strong defence partnership with the US which has been strengthening over the last several years. There is potential for this partnership to grow further under the India-US COMPACT for the 21st century,” he said.The COMPACT (Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce and Technology) is aimed at driving transformative change across key pillars of cooperation.It was launched following talks between Modi and Trump in February.The India-US defence cooperation has been on an upswing in the last few years.In June 2016, the US designated India a “Major Defence Partner” paving way for sharing of critical military equipment and technology.The two countries have also inked key defence and security pacts over the past few years, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016 that allows their militaries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.The two sides also signed COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018 which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and provides for the sale of high-end technology from the US to India.In October 2020, India and the US sealed the BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement) agreement to further boost bilateral defence ties.The pact provides for sharing of high-end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries.(With inputs from PTI)
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