【By Xiong Chaoran, Observer's Net】According to a report by Hong Kong's South China Morning Post on September 25, a senior U.S. State Department official said on September 24 local time that India remains the so-called "democratic force" in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China, and denied claims that sharp differences between the U.S. and India on trade issues have fundamentally changed the Trump administration's position.

"We certainly still see India as an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region," the official said, adding that India represents the 'India' part of the Indo-Pacific region, and the U.S.-India relationship remains solid. He mentioned that Secretary of State Rubio's first diplomatic contact after his swearing-in this year was a meeting with foreign ministers of the other three members of the Quad (the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia).

This fall, the Quad summit will be held in India. Previously, there were rumors that President Trump would not attend the summit in India. According to the State Department official, Trump and Indian Prime Minister Modi may still meet face-to-face at the Quad summit. However, he added, "We are planning, so it will happen at some point, if not this year, then early next year, and we are currently finalizing the date."

In February, Modi met with Trump at the White House. Visual China

After the sudden downturn in U.S.-India relations, Modi was reported to have refused to answer Trump's calls four times. However, with the resumption of trade negotiations, and Trump calling Modi on September 16 local time and sending birthday wishes, there were signs of improvement in bilateral relations.

The South China Morning Post believes that since Trump returned to the White House, the president who follows the "America First" policy has not seen India as a "counterweight to China," but instead has improved relations with Pakistan, India's main rival.

Following the India-Pakistan conflict in May, Trump insisted that he used tariff issues to pressure both sides to cease fire. However, the Indian side repeatedly denied Trump's claim.

The U.S. State Department official who was interviewed once again emphasized that the United States "did" intervene in the crisis and "absolutely" helped achieve the ceasefire. He said he understood that the Indian government "could not publicly acknowledge this" because "it also needs to account to its domestic voters."

However, a独家 report from Reuters on September 24 local time might disappoint India again. The report stated that Trump is expected to meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Shabaz and Pakistan Army Chief, General Syed Asim Munir, at the White House on September 25 local time. This will be Trump's second meeting with Munir this year, as the two had lunch together at the White House in June.

The U.S. official emphasized that the United States is trying to view Pakistan through the lens of "U.S.-Pakistan relations" and is "exploring" areas for cooperation, but he also claimed that Pakistan's relationship with China "is clearly a concern for us."

In July, Trump announced that the U.S. is seeking to jointly develop oil reserves with Pakistan and said that perhaps India "one day" could buy oil from its neighbor.

However, when asked about the progress of oil exploration with Pakistan, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told reporters in New York on September 24 that he had not yet communicated with U.S. companies or discussed the issue in depth. "But according to your question, I am willing to do so."

On July 31 local time, Trump signed an executive order announcing that the U.S. would impose a 25% tariff on Indian goods starting August 7. On August 6, Trump signed another executive order, imposing an additional 25% tariff on India for purchasing Russian energy "directly or indirectly." As a result, the U.S. tariffs on Indian goods reached 50%.

Trade disputes between the U.S. and India have led to serious conflicts, and now the bilateral relationship faces new tensions, including new policies restricting technical personnel visas that will most severely affect Indian citizens. However, on September 22 local time, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio reiterated to Indian Foreign Minister Sujan Singh that the U.S.-India relationship is crucial. In addition, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met with U.S. Trade Representative Grille on the same day.

According to reports, on September 24 local time, a U.S. State Department official confirmed that Rubio did mention the issue of Russian oil during his meeting with Sujan Singh. He said that the U.S. "seizes every opportunity" to emphasize the desire to "cut off Russia's oil revenue" in the Ukraine conflict.

"In the past few weeks, we have been dealing with some differences, especially in trade and the purchase of Russian oil. We are advancing these dialogues, and they have been very effective," the official said.

This article is exclusive to Observer's Net and may not be reprinted without permission.

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