India’s decision on oil import from Iran will be independent: Govt
Tuesday, 4 September 2018 (14:19 IST)
New Delhi: India will take ‘independent’ decision on oil imports from Iran, top government sources said here on Tuesday.
“At the end of it all decision on it (oil import from Iran vis-a-vis US sanctions) has to be made independently by the Government of India,” a senior official said here even as all eyes are on the much expected and the inaugural of Indo-US 2+2 dialogue on Thursday.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will host their counterparts US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Defence Secretary James Matis respectively on Thursday for crucial round of parleys on wide ranging issues.
The sources also said that as Secretary of State Mr Pompeo will be travelling to Pakistan on Wednesday for his first high-level engagement with the new regime headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, India will be keen to hear what the US administration has to say on his talks with the top officials and government representatives in Islamabad.
The 2+2 Dialogue between India and the US was postponed twice earlier essentially on time factor.
This meeting on Thursday between Indian top leaders and the US for 2+2 Dialogues will be the first meeting between Indian side and the US Secretary of State and former CIA Chief Michael Pompeo who replaced Rex Tillerson.
The geo-strategic situation in the Afghan-Pakistan region and on the global context will figure prominently along with Indian concerns on developing and operating the strategic Chabahar port and its significance for Afghanistan. (UNI)
