United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau emphasized on Thursday that trade agreement currently mediated with India will continue to favor American interests above all.
“India should understand that we’re not going to make the same mistakes with India that we did with China 20 years ago when we say, ‘Oh, you know, we’re going to let you be able to develop all these markets,’ and the next thing we know you’re beating us in a lot of commercial stuff. We will make sure that whatever we do is fair to our people. Because ultimately we have to answer to our own people, just as the Indian government has to answer to its people,” Landau said at the Raisina Dialogue.
“America first, of course, does not mean America alone, because one of the ways you can achieve these goals is by working with other countries,” he said.
Additionally, Landau clarified that the Trump administration sees the national interest as a common value shared among independent nations.
“So just as President Trump wants to make America great again, he would expect the Indian prime minister or other leaders to want to make their countries great again,” commented the Assistant Secretary of State.
Rise of India on the Global Stage
Noting the inevitable rise of India on the global stage, the senior US official said that the international journey of this modern era is fundamentally linked to Delhi.
“I think one of the things that is undeniable is that this century is going to be, in many ways, the century in which we expect India to rise,” Landau said.
He emphasized that the alliance is motivated by collective profit instead of charity, pointing to India’s position as the planet’s most populous country with vast intellectual and fiscal capabilities.
“And it is in our interest, and we think it is in India’s interest as well, to be a partner. This is a country with all its potential. It is now the most populous country in the world. It has incredible economic, human and other resources that make it one of the countries that will decide the future of this century,” he added.
Landau reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to the alliance, noting that Washington sees a number of “win-win situations with India.”
Earlier this year, the United States and India unveiled a framework for an interim agreement on fair and mutually beneficial trade, reaffirming their commitment to a comprehensive Bilateral trade agreement (BTA) initiated by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
