Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri Travels to US for Review of Trade and Defense Relations Amid West Asia Crisis

India, US to Review Bilateral Ties and Discuss West Asia Crisis

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will embark on a three-day visit to Washington DC on April 8-10 to assess bilateral trade and defense ties with the United States, amidst a growing crisis in West Asia.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that Misri's visit will provide a platform to review the full spectrum of India-US bilateral relations and advance ongoing cooperation across key areas. The trip marks a significant effort to stabilize bilateral ties following a period of uncertainty and strain. The relations experienced a significant downturn after the United States imposed punitive tariffs on India and President Donald Trump made contentious assertions regarding his role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan military clashes in May 2019.

A key agenda item for Misri's visit is likely to be the proposed bilateral trade deal. The two sides are expected to discuss ways to move forward on this agreement.

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During his trip, Misri will engage in discussions with senior officials of the US administration on a wide range of issues, including trade, defense, science and technology, as well as regional and global developments of mutual interest.

The visit follows the External Affairs Minister's trip to Washington DC in February and is in keeping with the regular high-level exchanges between the two sides.