US Secretary of State John Kerry has met with the newly elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, during an official visit to India.
Kerry talked about boosting trade ties with New Delhi, and reiterated President Obama’s support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the U-N Security Council. Washington expressed hopes that the visit could become a "transformation moment" in the troubled relations between the two countries.
The meetings were overshadowed by New Delhi’s refusal to sign a World Trade Organisation agreement. The country has threatened to block a worldwide reform of customs rules. It wants the reform to be accompanied by a parallel agreement granting developing countries more freedom to subsidize and stockpile food staples.