In New Delhi Talks, Mattis And Pompeo Seek To Bring U.S. And India Closer
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis are expected to discuss anti-terrorism, maritime security, China's influence — and India's reliance on Iranian oil and Russian arms.
India and the United States are the world's biggest democracies. They're both capitalist countries, nuclear powers and former British colonies. They should be natural allies.
But over the past year, the Trump administration twice postponed high-level talks with India, citing scheduling conflicts. That left some in New Delhi feeling like the U.S. was taking India for granted.
Now, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in New Delhi for talks, they'll seek to bring the two countries closer than they've been since the Cold War. Their agenda for Thursday's talks is believed to include key issues such as anti-terrorism, maritime security and countering China's growing influence in the Indian Ocean.
